1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
everyone took her ingrained pretentiousness into account when considering her statements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ostentation
excessive or unnecessary display
the sheer pretentiousness of the debutante's wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the utter pretentiousness of the movie is matched only by the incomprehensibility of its story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentiousness
The lack of pretentiousness signals something about who’s welcome there.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2025
There’s a pretentiousness that begins to show itself as folks get more comfortable.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Coleman found no pretentiousness in Trafford, and he was not perturbed by the drop in facilities compared to the Etihad Campus.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2025
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2025
There’s a pretentiousness that begins to show itself as folks get more comfortable.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Coleman found no pretentiousness in Trafford, and he was not perturbed by the drop in facilities compared to the Etihad Campus.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentiousness
Noun
-
Money and jealousy are the root of the play’s evils, with more deadly sins released in a world of posh, uppity arrogance.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a study with 355 participants, the authors narrowed their list to 16 warning signs that predicted violence that occurred within six months — many of them having to do with entitlement, arrogance, control and emotional immaturity.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring ‘20s ostentation, stretches from the Intracoastal to the Atlantic Ocean.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The characteristics of this aesthetic begin with simple colors that evoke understated elegance—not ostentation.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For years, the Red Bull driver was the benchmark – often cruising through races with rivals unable to challenge his superiority.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
-
America has gone to war many times with the hubris of superiority.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Francis’ choice was in keeping with his simple taste and disdain for the pomp of the papacy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
There are times when Neves goes about games with the quiet dominance of N’Golo Kante during his Chelsea pomp.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.—
Rem Koolhaas,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Not so much for your music as your…not flamboyance, but exuberance, maybe, or whimsy—qualities in vanishingly short supply with our current crop of male pop stars who don’t make backflips a fixture of their live performances.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
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Thousands of artists, collectors, curators and gallerists descend on the city, swelling an already vibrant local scene with a global reach into a week of discovery, creative adventure and fashion flamboyance.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
As architectural fashion has shifted, the software is no longer associated with complex geometry, and the pretense that digital tools might liberate architects—spurring them to new heights of creativity—has faded.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentiousness. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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