1
as in right
an entitlement to something
a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary
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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
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
By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
The exquisite film, Derek vs Derek, raises pressing environmental issues, while conducting an exquisite study of idiosyncrasies at the same time, free of any pretension, though full of humor and substance.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
The exquisite film, Derek vs Derek, raises pressing environmental issues, while conducting an exquisite study of idiosyncrasies at the same time, free of any pretension, though full of humor and substance.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
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While the Queen was deeply involved in breeding and racing, Anne became an accomplished equestrian in her own right, even competing in the Olympic Games in 1976.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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Leah Williamson England’s captain will always start if fit, although given the solid performances of Wubben-Moy and others, England can more easily absorb an injury at centre-back than at right-back or in midfield.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While their energies differ, nearly all of them share the same basic drives (money, power, status) and the same fundamental flaws (greed, arrogance, selfishness).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
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Their defensive style can look like arrogance or hostility.—
Paul Sanchez Ruiz,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Princess Elizabeth and her family toured the Sandringham Park grounds, which were being used for agricultural purposes to contribute to the war efforts, in August 1943.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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William West | Afp | Getty Images Shares in Japan's largest defense company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries climbed nearly 4% Monday after the country finalized an agreement with Australia for building three general purpose frigates.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The report added that Beijing will continue to prosecute its maritime and territorial claims in the South and East China Sea, using the People's Liberation Army and China Coast Guard.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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In his order, Nunley recounted the attorney’s claim he’d been assigned more than 300 nearly identical cases in the last three months, all of immigrants in detention who argued they were being held without cause.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Drone superiority More than four years of war have forced Ukraine to become a global leader in battlefield drones and robotic systems.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
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The first-leg win in Paris last week did not reflect the superiority of Luis Enrique's team on the night, which had a host of chances to rack up an even more commanding lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses.—
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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People finally get to see me, and there's no pretense about that.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Monday, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed plans to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030, a goal that was first announced in 2018.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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When two teams are tied on points in La Liga, league position is decided by their head-to-head record rather than goal difference.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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