as in pretension
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
a woman of great affectation at social gatherings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affectation
Now, though levees may not exactly be back, royal affectations and the disputes that go with them are.
—
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
That’s probably an affectation.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Alternatively, sometimes the quest to reach world markets by way of film-festival acclaim gives rise to the opposite—to big swings and big misses, the kind of festival films that, by ambition, idiosyncrasy, and length, cut through the clamor but exude affectation and effortfulness.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
May contributes harp glissandos, which somehow don’t come off as a precocious affectation.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affectation
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
That’s probably an affectation.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Alternatively, sometimes the quest to reach world markets by way of film-festival acclaim gives rise to the opposite—to big swings and big misses, the kind of festival films that, by ambition, idiosyncrasy, and length, cut through the clamor but exude affectation and effortfulness.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
May contributes harp glissandos, which somehow don’t come off as a precocious affectation.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affectation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affectation
Noun
-
The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.—
Colin Wrenn,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Deficient Humility manifests as arrogance, which can fracture teams and alienate fans.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
His mixture of insecurity and arrogance was eye-catching.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
Garcia-Hernandez was arrested on charges of theft of an elder adult, obtaining money by false pretenses, and attempted grand theft, along with an out-of-county warrant.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Quintrell is also a fan of color drenching—specifically, the trim and vanity.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
-
Bathrooms are large, with soaking tubs, walk-in showers, and double vanities, standard even in entry-level room categories.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Where Porsha would prefer to ignore Shamea’s existence, Shamea keeps breadcrumbing her disdain for her ex bestie, this time telling Cynthia about the heated text exchange after the reunion.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
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Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine.—
Arthur House,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
In a crew filled with people convinced of the superiority of their own methods, Cooper just wants to look at peacocks, call his grandma, and engage in some PG-13 flirting with fellow innocent oddball Kat.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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The United States, which can gobble up Olympic medals and force-feed its brand of football to a happy audience across the pond, has had to cede superiority to the rest of the world, unable to even get its own term for the game to catch on.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
People with bipolar disorder cycle through extended periods of mania and depression, often accompanied by grandiosity or elevated self-esteem during manic phases.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
11 June 2026
-
Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
He is best known for proposing the theory of cosmic inflation, a concept that transformed modern understanding of the early universe and the evolution of the big bang.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
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Plus, inflation has spread to so many other items throughout the economy.—
Luis Melgar,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affectation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affectation. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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