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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions
Noun
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Taxpayers generally foot a substantial portion of the bill, and owners reap the revenue from ticket sales, concessions, and stadium naming rights.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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If someone invokes these rights, police are supposed to stop questioning them immediately.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
DeBrusk and Boeser each scored power-play goals, and the penalty kill weathered a 95 second five-on-three before conceding Granlund's goal late in a penalty to defenseman Elias Pettersson.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And city residents question whether the strategy will produce lasting gains or primarily serve short-term political goals.—
Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In February, the judge overseeing the case dismissed several claims against the bank, but let stand two others.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The state legislature has general immunity against claims for civil damages, so those would be sought from the town and could top $25 million, according to the lawsuit.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The litigation is now complicating the rollout of a Bureau of Prisons policy revision, issued in February, that would end all complimentary in-prison access to hormonal drugs and cosmetic surgeries for gender-affirmation purposes.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
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This material is for illustration and discussion purposes and not intended to be, nor construed as, financial, legal, tax or investment advice.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The adults were arrested on suspicion of theft from an elder, theft by false pretenses, conspiracy, contracting without a license and other offenses.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Yet even as Starbucks attempts to refocus on coffee by moving away from desserts masquerading as drinks, newer chains are making no pretenses about selling beverages that can easily tide someone over through a mealtime or two.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Season 2’s grander ambitions are evident from the start.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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The prologue that opens Ragtime loudly announces the musical’s epic ambitions as its nine fictional characters and six of its historical figures introduce themselves with third-person narration and shout-singing.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Just days after floating the idea of using verification to differentiate human and bot accounts, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman on Wednesday announced measures the company will take to execute its plans.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
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Invite a calm talk about time commitments, because fairness grows when expectations are measurable and both sides understand what happens if plans change.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Such exploitation becomes the starting point of movements whose aims and effects may ultimately be disastrous for America as a whole.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Israeli military still needs weeks to complete its war aims, the two Israeli officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal military deliberations.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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