1
as in right
an entitlement to something
a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
a woman full of pretension and pompousness
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3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the pretension of that French restaurant is more than I can bear
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4
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretension
Electric Bleu is a testament to the reality that food can be technically precise and expertly executed, without the pretension and toxicity so often associated with fine dining kitchens.
—
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
There’s no phoniness, no pretension.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.
—Rem Koolhaas, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
There’s no phoniness, no pretension.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.
—Rem Koolhaas, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
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And politics still very much come into play, especially as countries move further to the right.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
This is the first year of the league’s new 11-year, $77 billion media rights deal with the three networks.—
Mike Prada,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Think about the arrogance behind that.—
Jovani Patterson,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
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But his temper and arrogance were equally unparalleled, constantly leading him to argue with authority figures, from referees to his own managers.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Each object was made by someone, with a precise intention—to embody a necessary purpose, once held in relation to a community.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
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Iran, which says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, was said to have included some nuclear concessions in its latest proposal to end the war.—
Michelle L. Price,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Nick Tsafos, partner-in-charge at EisnerAmper in New York, said lenders need to independently assess collateral, claims and risks across the full life of a loan, rather than relying solely on borrower representations.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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The Arab Republic of Egypt (1953) stakes a natural claim to the Rosetta Stone, which was commissioned in 196 BCE by a Greek-speaking pharaoh of Macedonian descent, and unearthed near Alexandria by French engineers in 1799.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Noun
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More Crucial Nvidia’s superiority is most evident in training.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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The aircraft has played an important role in strengthening Israel’s aerial superiority and long-range strike capacity.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
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In the movie, members of the narcotics unit face suspicion for allegedly stealing some of the money under false pretenses and for their own benefit.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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The company seems to have dropped any pretence of regular pricing.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
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The company amassed a clean-energy portfolio that included one of the world’s largest solar power plants, and had set a goal of becoming the country’s biggest player in the space by 2030.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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What’s the end goal for the electric toothbrush?—
Caroline Rose Giuliani,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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