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
Trust the French to come up with the most pretentious word in the dictionary.
—
Dwight Garner, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Sure, there were some pretentious amateurs on the other side of the camera, but the most successful physique photographers were pros with recognizable styles.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 May 2025
Cage doesn’t get a toe in the tide before he’s given the heave-ho by a pretentious group of quasi-spiritual surfers called the Bay Boys.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Buckle up for this globe-trotting, CGI-heavy adventure that combines apocalyptic spectacle and family drama in the least pretentious way possible.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Dwight Garner, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Sure, there were some pretentious amateurs on the other side of the camera, but the most successful physique photographers were pros with recognizable styles.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 May 2025
Cage doesn’t get a toe in the tide before he’s given the heave-ho by a pretentious group of quasi-spiritual surfers called the Bay Boys.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Buckle up for this globe-trotting, CGI-heavy adventure that combines apocalyptic spectacle and family drama in the least pretentious way possible.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
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The exiled poet was criticized for his arrogant attempts to influence British and American foreign policy.—
Graham Robb,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
-
There is something dangerously, provocatively arrogant about his glorified gang leader looks.—
Timothy Crouse,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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At 11:30, as the simultaneously pompous and obsequious gate agent announces the passengers above gold status, the bit, already tilting toward insanity, leaves any attempt to portray a real airport behind and dives fully into Alice in Wonderland–level surrealism.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
8 May 2025
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Signaling a stark departure from tradition that, over the centuries, had ranged from formal to pompous, Pope Francis began teaching us, from day one, what the most genuine leadership looks like. Humble.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In short, an ostentatious action game with a fascinating setting and stunning visuals.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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And for Trump’s onetime pirate ship of a political movement, Butterworth’s represents an ostentatious new evolutionary phase: the deplorable as arriviste.—
Robert Draper,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Noni finds herself up against Lion’s violent henchmen and women in series of fight-to-the-death encounters aboard the tyrant’s grandiose sailing ship, which lies at the heart of a vast naval fleet.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
9 June 2025
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The 53-room hotel feels quaint and boutique-like—but the views are grandiose.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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The best way to express this high-minded idealism was by mass-producing extremely potent, extremely pure LSD, almost as if its non-dilution was an expression of their own virtue.—
John Semley,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2025
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For generations, students and researchers from around the world have flocked to Boston, drawn not just to a college or university but to a region where high-minded intellectual life was part of its brand.—
Jenna Russell,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But while Boyle is proud of his influence on the zombie film landscape, he’s mostly abstained from watching any of those movies himself.—
Jake Kleinman,
Wired News,
20 June 2025
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That one small step was just the beginning, paving the way for a succession of shorts and feature-length films that have been proud to wear their sci-fi credentials on their Space Ranger sleeves.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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