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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentiousness
Noun
-
Opinion: America was gaslit by the arrogance of Joe Biden and his enablers.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025 -
The arrogance of the IRS should shock the conscience of all Americans.—
Chuck Flint,
Boston Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
As high heels become less of a requisite in certain arenas, the Cannes red carpet — whose ostentation is rivaled only by the Met Gala or the Oscars — is something of a final frontier.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
-
The mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring ‘20s ostentation, stretches from the Intracoastal to the Atlantic Ocean.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
From our review: Tessa Van den Broeck, a newcomer, plays Julie with zero affectation.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
No fussy affectations, just a deliberate tamping down of his more charismatic qualities.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The formal presentation took place in the same battle-scarred stadium, Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where Adolf Hitler watched Owens, the Black American athlete, win four gold medals in the 1936 Games, dealing a blow to Hitler’s notions of racial superiority.—
Ciarán Fahey,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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Imagine a future Supreme Court case challenging church-state separation, with Christians vying against Christians for superiority.—
Emmett Coyne,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
There was a moment early in the season at Stamford Bridge when — amid all the ceremony and pomp that comes before a modern Premier League game — Nikola Milenkovic stood perfectly still.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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Extra pomp doesn’t have to skew antiquated, either, as several modern variations from upscale brands like Sferra and Annie Selke illustrate.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Nothing will knock the pretension out of you faster than having to go cover the sewage board hearing and having to type the school lunch menus.—
Samantha Dunn,
Oc Register,
11 Apr. 2025
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Boasting fresh sea air, healing waters and inspiring natural light, this area of the country offers a unique opportunity to experience luxury the Danish way: without pretension, surrounded by nature and the highest quality art, food and design.—
Lois Alter Mark,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
Whatever the shape of your face or preference for colour or flamboyance level, the idea is the same: pack one pair that works with every outfit and be done with it.—
Nick Hendry,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2025
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Their flamboyance was a public assertion of freedom, particularly in the north of the United States, where many migrated to reinvent and present themselves following freedom.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After his arrest, Duffy had faked amnesia and sought asylum in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors prevented the police from interrogating him, but the pretense of the amnesia was exposed at the trial by his ex-wife and a friend.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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May 8 Theft by false pretense: Someone contacted a Saratoga resident, claiming to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pretentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentiousness. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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