1
as in rights
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 goals
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretensions
The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.
—
James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
This action comedy is audacious in portraying the pretensions of show business.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026
The pilot isn’t quite sure what makes Arthur funny, alternating between jokes about his artistic pretensions and his extreme whiteness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
His pretensions—riding around in a grand coach and continuing the weekly levees—as well as his administration’s notorious effort to enforce deference in the 1798 Sedition Act, fell flat.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Few things jar the delicate pretensions of the cocktail sophisticate so much as a drink with a chicken on top.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
But she is best remembered for Keeping Up Appearances and her role as Hyacinth Bucket, a working-class woman with pretensions of social superiority.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 3 Oct. 2025
Such pretensions on the part of the mega-rich aren’t new; Lowell reminds us of that.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
This action comedy is audacious in portraying the pretensions of show business.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026
The pilot isn’t quite sure what makes Arthur funny, alternating between jokes about his artistic pretensions and his extreme whiteness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
His pretensions—riding around in a grand coach and continuing the weekly levees—as well as his administration’s notorious effort to enforce deference in the 1798 Sedition Act, fell flat.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Few things jar the delicate pretensions of the cocktail sophisticate so much as a drink with a chicken on top.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
But she is best remembered for Keeping Up Appearances and her role as Hyacinth Bucket, a working-class woman with pretensions of social superiority.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 3 Oct. 2025
Such pretensions on the part of the mega-rich aren’t new; Lowell reminds us of that.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions
Noun
-
Strandjord pointed to mounting cases in which US citizens have been detained while protesting or exercising First Amendment rights, including the rights of journalists.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
-
In 1992, Michael Pietsch, a young editor at Little, Brown and Company acquired the rights to David Foster Wallace’s novel, Infinite Jest.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Tesla also announced their plans on Monday on Weibo – the Chinese equivalent of X – signaling potential goals to target the country’s market.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
-
What works for you will depend on your health, strength, and goals.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
All prize claims must be submitted within 180 days of the drawing date for draw games.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
2 Feb. 2026
-
If Newsom were to run for national office in a couple of years, he would be subjected to the right’s usual claims that Californians are latte-sipping vegan leftists.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For clarity purposes, the figures below assume that the full line of credit is borrowed immediately and then repaid (and that the interest rate remains constant).—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Trump has tried to extract billions of dollars from universities and has succeeded in squeezing more than $400 million from four of them — Brown, Columbia, Cornell and Northwestern — for purposes of his choosing.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Johnson eventually pleaded no contest to three counts of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
She is also charged with one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult of between $1,000 and $20,000 and one count of false pretenses of between $1,000 and $20,000.—
Paul Egan,
Freep.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Locally, Tesla has only a handful of openings for Optimus, but the postings indicate the company’s ambitions in Texas.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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That includes 12-month goals and ambitions towards the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Savannah Guthrie, who temporarily stepped away from her NBC duties, including plans to co-host the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, issued a plea through social media asking for prayers and public support as the search continues.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
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Washington County warehouse The federal government paid more than $100 million to buy a warehouse in Williamsport, Washington County, near Hagerstown, with plans to convert it into an ICE detention center with space for 1,500 beds.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Regulatory agencies redirected toward ideological aims.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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There were participants in our cohort who remained rightfully critical of our utopian aims, our spectrum of privilege, and our position as cultural workers living through global extinction, famine, corruption, and violence in all its forms.—
Catherine Taft,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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