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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pretentious
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
Jimbo, the most ridiculously pretentious egomaniac in rock-star history, seemed so excessive that no actor could play him, but Val Kilmer was up to the task.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
After the war, that technology, developed by a painfully pretentious guru named Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), was sold to the public as a way of keeping them sedated and immersed in imaginary worlds.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
After the war, that technology, developed by a painfully pretentious guru named Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), was sold to the public as a way of keeping them sedated and immersed in imaginary worlds.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Jimbo, the most ridiculously pretentious egomaniac in rock-star history, seemed so excessive that no actor could play him, but Val Kilmer was up to the task.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
After the war, that technology, developed by a painfully pretentious guru named Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), was sold to the public as a way of keeping them sedated and immersed in imaginary worlds.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
After the war, that technology, developed by a painfully pretentious guru named Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), was sold to the public as a way of keeping them sedated and immersed in imaginary worlds.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
-
Richard was known for being outspoken, if not arrogant, consistently rubbing his Tagi tribe the wrong way and offending some of them with his blatant display of nudity on the island.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
-
Multiple people described him to me as unpopular and arrogant.—
Amanda Chicago Lewis,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The film will follow a pompous food critic (Roth) and the earnest son-of-a-chef (Fernández) who must outcook, outrun, and outwit a ruthless queen-pin (Higareda Howes) in order to save the son’s family restaurant – and themselves.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
7 May 2025
-
Jain didn’t barge onto the scene with the pompous bravado as many others do.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
The single-story, low-profile home houses three bedrooms—nothing oversized or ostentatious.—
Natalie Hoberman,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
-
The Saudis envisage The Line — an ambitious, or ostentatious, trail of infrastructure spanning 170km — being front and centre when the country hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2034.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
In a clear sign of his dwindling utility, his next move at DOGE, far less grandiose than his initial one, will be to modernize the federal government’s computers.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
-
An array of notables—Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb, Laura Harrier, Andie MacDowell, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Kathy Hilton, Claire Danes, and more—artfully intermingled in the museum's grandiose halls.—
Gaby Keiderling,
Vogue,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times.—
Chloe Mayer
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
-
At Ferrara, which has a long, proud history of making candy in Chicago, the business outlook is still positive, according to Greg Guidotti, chief marketing officer.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share