ostentation

noun

os·​ten·​ta·​tion ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shən 

1

: excessive display : vain and unnecessary show especially for the purpose of attracting attention, admiration, or envy : pretentiousness

She dresses stylishly without ostentation.

an aesthetic preference for function over ostentation

—Wendell Garrett

their ostentation of new wealth and their prodigality with it

—Mark Sullivan

2

archaic : an act of displaying

Synonyms

• flamboyance
• flash
• flashiness
• garishness
• gaudiness
• glitz
• ostentatiousness
• pretentiousness
• showiness
• swank

Examples of ostentation in a Sentence

The actress avoids ostentation. She owns a small house and drives an inexpensive car.

He writes simply and clearly and without ostentation.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is colorful high polish without distracting ostentation to the design contributions, from Nick Haight’s widescreen cinematography and Ciana Vernon’s production design to Owen Pallett’s sometimes-ironical original score. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024

Instead of Mbappé holding up his end of the bargain, this is about the club’s ostentation—an insistence on having the glossiest players in the world, and, on this occasion, losing sight of what matters most. —Henry Flynn, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Yet some began to blanch at this cruel ostentation. —Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024

As the country continues to grapple with high youth unemployment and troubles in its real estate market, some Chinese shoppers are turning away from ostentation amid the economic uncertainty. —Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 16 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ostentacion "display meant to evoke admiration," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin ostentātiōn-, ostentātiō "act of displaying, excessive display," from ostentāre "to hold up to view, display, show ostentatiously, flourish" (frequentative of ostendere "to hold out for inspection, show, demonstrate") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at ostensible

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ostentation

noun

os·​ten·​ta·​tion ˌäs-tən-ˈtā-shən 

: unnecessary show to attract attention, admiration, or envy