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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentious
And not to get too pretentious, but in a Greek theater setting, the archetypes these guys represent.
—
Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Think fine dining but not pretentious.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026
But Newsom’s shadow diplomacy, widely seen as a pretentious distraction during the Biden years, has a different look at a moment of nativism and trade conflict in Washington.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
In Tim Burton’s breakthrough film, O’Hara played tragically hip Delia Deetz, the pretentious and self-absorbed stepmother of Winona Ryder’s Lydia.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Think fine dining but not pretentious.
—Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026
But Newsom’s shadow diplomacy, widely seen as a pretentious distraction during the Biden years, has a different look at a moment of nativism and trade conflict in Washington.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
In Tim Burton’s breakthrough film, O’Hara played tragically hip Delia Deetz, the pretentious and self-absorbed stepmother of Winona Ryder’s Lydia.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
-
The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And the less said of the poorly mixed, pompous Machina, the better.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
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The pompous clergyman enters the life of the Bennet family, his distant cousins, with the assumption that, given his respectable position and benefactor, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, one of those daughters would be happy to marry him.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
To be sure, nothing here is an ostentatious gastronomical experiment; Peacock Alley serves pigs in a blanket.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Meticulous and never ostentatious, his work displays refined elegance, luxurious detailing, exacting craftsmanship, historical references, and a sumptuous materiality.—
Jennifer Baum Lagdameo,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Consider setting aside grandiose ambitions for the moment and taking a break to do something active with your hands.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The grandiose space’s massive stage and high-caliber lighting rigs promise extravagant parties and ceremonies that will light up the city’s social calendar.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One of his proudest accomplishments was creating the FWISD Scholar Athlete Award program.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
-
On the question of T-pop’s rising global profile, Satur is proud but measured.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Despite this high-minded rhetoric, Talarico has benefited from reams of cash from corporate lobbyists, billionaires, and business executives who have flooded Texas on his behalf.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
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The company’s move underscores how the high-minded intentions that guided AI startups in their early years have increasingly collided with the pressures to make money and beat out the competition.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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