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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentious
Kerouac’s pretentious hitchhiker’s guide lacked the panache, humor, and focus of this one by Douglas Adams.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Kirk Lazarus is a prestigious, pretentious actor who decides to go full method — to put it mildly — in portraying a Black soldier.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Democratic strategist James Carville scolded his party for being pretentious and out of touch with large segments of the population, including young men.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 10 July 2025
The lighting in Brent’s places was sophisticated without being pretentious, mostly postwar Italians—Castiglioni, Joe Colombo, Carlo Nason—and these objects left a strong impression.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Kirk Lazarus is a prestigious, pretentious actor who decides to go full method — to put it mildly — in portraying a Black soldier.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Democratic strategist James Carville scolded his party for being pretentious and out of touch with large segments of the population, including young men.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 10 July 2025
The lighting in Brent’s places was sophisticated without being pretentious, mostly postwar Italians—Castiglioni, Joe Colombo, Carlo Nason—and these objects left a strong impression.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
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Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Jean stepped out as Nia approached—lean and arrogant, a cigarette pinched between her lips.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While The Morning Show presents the news business as glossy and glamorous (and often a little pompous), The Paper takes the opposite view with the documentary crew from The Office now focusing on a dying newspaper in Ohio.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
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Guigal’s strategy isn’t built on pompous conservatism, but in long-term thinking.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The garb is ostentatious for sure and gives out cabana wear vibes, but there's no better time for a skeleton to take a tropical vacation getaway than Halloween, right?—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Oct. 2025
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There aren’t many obvious or ostentatious signs of wealth, other than a few pristine trucks and SUVs in the courthouse parking lot, and a new community center in Mentone that cost millions and is barely used.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But his apparent attempts to resolve his past misdeeds with grandiose discoveries might well have been an attempt to cope with trauma.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Government buildings in Moscow and grandiose Ministry of Defense infrastructure could become open targets.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jay Kelly is much more high-minded fare.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Not that the show is entirely, or even predominantly, a work of high-minded political critique.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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IndieWire is proud to announce that Art House New York is launching, thanks to founder Lesli Klainberg, former president of Film at Lincoln Center.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
8 Oct. 2025
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Pinochet was proud of his personal library, with books on guerrilla insurgencies, the writings of Antonio Gramsci and other Marxist theorists, and accounts of communist crimes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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