1
as in arrogant
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superior
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
a pretentious author whose books only appeal to equally pretentious readers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentious
Jonathan’s making pretentious anti-capitalist films at NYU.
—
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026
The conversation has turned almost reverential, sometimes even a bit pretentious.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
And for those who might still view fashion as pretentious without humor?
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 30 Dec. 2025
But diners won’t find pretentious fare at Canal House Station.
—Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026
The conversation has turned almost reverential, sometimes even a bit pretentious.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
And for those who might still view fashion as pretentious without humor?
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 30 Dec. 2025
But diners won’t find pretentious fare at Canal House Station.
—Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
-
In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Among the latter is ravenous beaver Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster, hilarious), who turns out to be a key ally, and pompous new mayor Brian Winddancer (Patrick Warburton), a stallion who used to be an actor.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Dell is not trying to be ostentatious.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Besides, $500 gets you a pretty decent phone these days — without ostentatious gold and a close affiliation with a president who has a decades-long track record of launching and sinking well over a dozen businesses.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
High school coaches are now guiding their young players to start looking at smaller colleges instead of having grandiose dreams of joining the big-time programs right away.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In mid-August, the Governor’s official X account began mocking the President in his own addled, grandiose, all-caps style.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But that poem is no smug cliché.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Marcello is looking especially smug and evil in this scene for reasons unclear.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
But the reaction is just as vast, and even more persistent, Angela was proud to tell me about Moon Palace’s place as a node in a larger community network.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Now 32, the Canadian is the proud owner of 25 X Games medals, including 14 gold total and eight in the slopestyle discipline.—
Michelle Bruton,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Was the thinking behind the decision so high-minded, though, back in 1890?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Their goals are high-minded (protecting the environment, improving workplace conditions, breaking up powerful interests, helping the poor), but their tools always involve taxation, regulation and government power.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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