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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pretensions
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
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
-
The designer praised his talents in theater, movies, bestselling books, dance and TV, as well as his work as an outspoken advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Acrisure, which secured the naming rights in 2022, is a financial technology and insurance company headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That's what Angel's goals were.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Despite being in just his eighth season in Toronto, Tavares already sits 13th in franchise history in goals.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Despite his claims of innocence, her husband, Scott Peterson, was convicted of her murder in 2004.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
And the advent of consumer DNA products has led to numerous claims of fertility fraud over the years.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
According to the district’s Notice of Election, the fund’s purposes are vague, the debt obligations are for 40 years, and taxpayers will owe far more.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Oct. 2025
-
However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Stereotypes about airheads in athleisure and ambitions of fame and fortune are each a form of fantasy.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Youhug Media’s presentation included two projects to bolster its international ambitions.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But Mother Nature can influence our plans and activities.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This week, the dramatic collapse of plans for Barcelona to play a La Liga game against Villarreal in Miami — first reported by The Athletic — added extra spice to the compelling and captivating Clasico.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That includes the several members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission who have spoken up; their work is being thrown out for purely partisan aims.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Taken together, all of this is a warning shot to Putin to back down from his maximalist aims in Ukraine and get serious about ending the war.—
Daniel Fried,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The State Department did not respond to CNN’s questions about the administration’s intentions for the birth control commodities.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Harper inked a 13-year, $330 million deal with Philadelphia in 2019 and wanted to make his intentions known about his loyalty.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share