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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The demonstration, which had been previously organized by a hodgepodge of activist groups after weeks of negotiations with local authorities, was otherwise peaceful — with environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, supporters of Palestinians and foes of imperialism, fascism and capitalism.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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The union will protect educators' academic freedom rights, keeping faculty expertise in teaching, research, and publication at the forefront.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Mbappe, 27, scored a hat-trick in France’s loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, claiming the tournament’s Golden Boot with eight goals, and is only four goals behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose on the World Cup all-time scoring list.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The Hurricanes came out roaring in the first period in this one as well, scoring three goals to the Golden Knights’ one by captain Mark Stone.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Draper contested the claims and denied all wrongdoing and criticized the Commission on Judicial Performance.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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According to the Comcast settlement website, the settlement is now open for claims, and current or former customers who received a breach notification from Comcast in December 2023 may be eligible for a payout.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Noun
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The Supreme Court decided in 2014 that inherited IRAs do not qualify as retirement funds for purposes of federal bankruptcy protection, as beneficiaries cannot make new contributions and are often required to take distributions from the account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
While municipalities may authorize certain vehicle assignments or equipment for operational purposes, local policies do not supersede state law.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
15 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
-
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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The Long Good Friday (1980) Morals and ethics are at the heart of this British crime classic, which follows Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins), a prideful London gangster with lofty ambitions to restore England to its former glory.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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Boards that still treat them as a procurement line item will find their AI ambitions rate-limited.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Over the course of several interviews over the past month, Charlotte-area parents described child care not as a normal consumer decision but as something closer to a strategic campaign involving timing, networking, luck, financial compromise and backup plans layered on top of backup plans.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
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Across California’s capital region, many businesses have announced plans to screen some — or all — of the World Cup matches for the most dedicated of fans.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Doing so would endanger his thesis that Russia is actually fulfilling its war aims and Ukraine is not.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
9 June 2026
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Ecology remained characteristic of her approach, but Carson now broadened her aims to encompass a mobilization of public opinion equal to the task of addressing the widespread harms of chemical pesticides in everyday life and agricultural ecosystems alike.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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