1
as in rights
an entitlement to something
a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.
—
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
The digs at the pretensions of artists, channeled through Claire’s decision to make her death a public spectacle in order to secure some future fame, are less amusing here because the blows never seem to quite connect with their targets.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 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
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
With his dweeby air, pretensions and position at the helm of an active production, Arthur is the Liz Lemon of this setup, but with the emphases reversed.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
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
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
The digs at the pretensions of artists, channeled through Claire’s decision to make her death a public spectacle in order to secure some future fame, are less amusing here because the blows never seem to quite connect with their targets.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 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
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
With his dweeby air, pretensions and position at the helm of an active production, Arthur is the Liz Lemon of this setup, but with the emphases reversed.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions
Noun
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In Los Angeles, Wakasa said, a DSA mayor would be expected to build more public transit, strengthen protections for renters, fight for workers’ rights, raise the minimum wage and defend local immigrants from the federal government.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
-
What specifically might these legal rights and protections look like?—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
One hundred and twenty-six supporters lost their lives after police fired tear gas into the terraces following two late goals from Hearts of Oak in a game against Asante Kotoko.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Messi’s two goals came 20 years after his first World Cup goal in his debut on June 16, 2006, at age 18.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
Noun
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The motion does not address the core negligence and wrongful death claims stemming from the crash itself but seeks to dismiss claims related to emergency dispatch and allegations Riverside County officials failed to protect the victims after the collision.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
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Safety net hospitals also have fewer resources than more affluent hospitals to deal with denials from Medicaid managed care organizations, which occur when health insurers and other organizations that administer Medicaid benefits for the state deny payment for certain claims.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
Sheriff's officials said a detailed investigation determined three employees used the system for non-law enforcement purposes, violating both agency policy and Georgia law.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
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While the singer-songwriter has been vocal about her disdain for generative AI models, her latest argument against it comes after learning hundreds of her own songs have been used for training purposes.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
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Garcia-Hernandez was arrested on charges of theft of an elder adult, obtaining money by false pretenses, and attempted grand theft, along with an out-of-county warrant.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Already on Friday, some Labour MPs were repeating their calls for Starmer to step down even though Burnham himself shied away from explicitly referencing his leadership ambitions.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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Her focus on designing efficient production strategies and fostering new opportunities for the sector places her at the intersection of creative development and industrial infrastructure — precisely the combination the archipelago’s growing ambitions demand.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Next year, these plans for retirees will increase on average by less than 1%.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
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Each federal land management agency has its own regulations with criteria for managing off-road vehicle use — for instance, the BLM uses travel management plans to determine where vehicles are allowed on specific pieces of land.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Only within the logic of an authoritarian or deeply reactionary culture can justice and beauty become controversial aims.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
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These aims put it on a similar trajectory to old rival Tesla, with both companies eyeing humanoid robots as a new frontier, even if the technology is still in its early stages.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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