1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
everyone took her ingrained pretentiousness into account when considering her statements
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ostentation
excessive or unnecessary display
the sheer pretentiousness of the debutante's wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the utter pretentiousness of the movie is matched only by the incomprehensibility of its story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentiousness
The lack of pretentiousness signals something about who’s welcome there.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2025
There’s a pretentiousness that begins to show itself as folks get more comfortable.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Coleman found no pretentiousness in Trafford, and he was not perturbed by the drop in facilities compared to the Etihad Campus.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2025
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2025
There’s a pretentiousness that begins to show itself as folks get more comfortable.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Coleman found no pretentiousness in Trafford, and he was not perturbed by the drop in facilities compared to the Etihad Campus.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentiousness
Noun
-
Bridgeman doesn’t speak with arrogance but with a calm, aw-shucks confidence.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Chances are, whether that’s empowerment or arrogance depends on your take on Gu’s national representation.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The characteristics of this aesthetic begin with simple colors that evoke understated elegance—not ostentation.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Feb. 2026
-
This gesture contrasts in the central avenue of Vassilissis Sofia, with the ostentation of the immediate official buildings, where the flags are flying full.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The self-conscious aspiration to hipness here is unfortunate and decidedly not cool, but some may find such affectations quaint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the contradiction, this strategy worked because elites are universally perceived as out of touch with the real world – with privileged and sheltered life experience that begets a sense of superiority.—
Alexa Beck,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The result is a battlefield where concealment is harder, decision cycles are faster, and information superiority increasingly depends on who can best collect, process, and act on what their satellites see.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His backing musicians kick up dust, eschewing the post-rock pomp favored by his contemporary Chuck Johnson in favor of riverine structures that reflect the geologic time scale Walker wanted to capture here.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Crisman used to spend a week in the host city, soaking in the pomp and pageantry.—
Patrick Whittle,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His lack of pretension, reflected in performances that found power in subtlety, only added to the admiration of his peers and the public.—
Fred Schruers,
IndieWire,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The menu is elevated, but without pretension.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Drinking, flamboyance, and film- and music-making bloomed.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
His newfound prominence and flamboyance — the eyeliner, the frequent shirtlessness, the leather pants — attract some vocal haters, but he’s gotten used to it.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Call it polish without pretense.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This is not an e-bike; there are no pedals and, interestingly, no pretense of a bicycle categorization to blur regulatory lines.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentiousness. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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