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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentiousness
Noun
-
The film sardonically conjures a golden age of interventionist arrogance.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025 -
Here are the more common ways insecurities can manifest themselves: • Confidence will turn into arrogance.—
Bill English,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
As high heels become less of a requisite in certain arenas, the Cannes red carpet — whose ostentation is rivaled only by the Met Gala or the Oscars — is something of a final frontier.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
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The mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring ‘20s ostentation, stretches from the Intracoastal to the Atlantic Ocean.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
From our review: Tessa Van den Broeck, a newcomer, plays Julie with zero affectation.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
No fussy affectations, just a deliberate tamping down of his more charismatic qualities.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As long as the world remains fixated on the Jews and Israel, Islamists and their allies can use their overwhelming numbers (and, yes, their financial superiority) to flood the zone with demonizing propaganda and portray themselves as the good guys.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
-
The company reports that comparative tests consistently confirm its superiority over traditional elastomers, especially after aggressive industrial processing.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
There was a moment early in the season at Stamford Bridge when — amid all the ceremony and pomp that comes before a modern Premier League game — Nikola Milenkovic stood perfectly still.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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Extra pomp doesn’t have to skew antiquated, either, as several modern variations from upscale brands like Sferra and Annie Selke illustrate.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 May 2025
Noun
-
And often next to Ed, holding a single malt, there would be an unsmiling writer of great pretension looking down at you from a great height.—
Gary Shteyngart,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2025
-
Many of the early bands’ sound had a preciseness to it and a simultaneous lack of pretension.—
Nate Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
Whatever the shape of your face or preference for colour or flamboyance level, the idea is the same: pack one pair that works with every outfit and be done with it.—
Nick Hendry,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2025
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Their flamboyance was a public assertion of freedom, particularly in the north of the United States, where many migrated to reinvent and present themselves following freedom.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps Posey will look into that now that the pretense of the campaign has been lost.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
-
UConn is already closing small classes and programs on the pretense of efficiency, while asking faculty to teach increasingly larger classes.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pretentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentiousness. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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