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
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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2
as in ostentation
excessive or unnecessary display
the sheer pretentiousness of the debutante's wedding
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentious
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 10 Mar. 2025
The restaurant is slightly more elevated than your classic casual spot but is far from pretentious.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025
There’s a certain traditional stereotype of actors as people who are arrogant or self-confident, the sort of people who are overly serious, aloof, or pretentious.
—Callum Booth, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
In the cool interiors of this chic Parisian address though, savouring an aged Armagnac after lunch or dinner is not a pretentious throwback, but a gastronomic pleasure.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Adjective
Accusing it of being pretentious, an ego trip, and lacking depth.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 10 Mar. 2025
The restaurant is slightly more elevated than your classic casual spot but is far from pretentious.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025
There’s a certain traditional stereotype of actors as people who are arrogant or self-confident, the sort of people who are overly serious, aloof, or pretentious.
—Callum Booth, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
In the cool interiors of this chic Parisian address though, savouring an aged Armagnac after lunch or dinner is not a pretentious throwback, but a gastronomic pleasure.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
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That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Fed Up in Illinois Dear Fed Up: Is Edie mean, arrogant, disobedient and rude in the presence of her parents, or has she been invited to spend time with your girls separately?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Solskjaer felt that overconfidence bordering on arrogance might be PSG’s Achilles’ heel.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Titan: Plunges into the chilling 2023 submersible tragedy, peeling back the layers of ambition, arrogance, and a lack of oversight that led to catastrophe.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The pink-and-brown mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring 20s ostentation, stretches from Lake Worth to the Atlantic Ocean and contains 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms, three bomb shelters, a theater, a ballroom and a nine-hole golf course.—
Miami Herasld Archives,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Ivy-as-Marilyn is an inconsiderate, amphetamine guzzling faux-intellectual whose devotion to the acting craft is presented as a vainglorious affectation.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The interaction between Briony and Jamie starts off amiably, with Jamie needling Briony for her posh affectations.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Nelis renders the professor a pompous and pedantic twit but not a heartless one.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Our rituals and our cassocks are pompous.—
Paul Elie,
The New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
With the Soviet Union’s collapse, the United States enjoyed a margin of superiority that would have been unimaginable to earlier great powers.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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Will this Lucid’s obvious superiority from a rational perspective be able to offset the minivan-esque styling?—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The scenes on this planet emphasize pomp and pageantry as well as the finer points of diplomacy.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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But no amount of pomp and hype can make something true.—
WIRED Staff,
WIRED,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Their pretensions are witheringly lampooned in this comic thriller about Ronnie, a Pakistani American who tags along to the desert enclave with her friend turned life coach, Marley.—
Calum Marsh,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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By contrast, Vito—Genovese, that is, not Corleone—pushes drugs aggressively, resorts to violence early and often, and scoffs at any pretensions of legitimacy, especially given the legalized thuggery of the politicians with whom Frank has curried favor.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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