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
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Trump’s Comments About The Panama Canal Trump remarked that the United States should regain control of the Panama Canal, a statement that evoked arrogance and colonialism in the past.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025 -
The historical 'attitude' (arrogance) in his acting has fueled MAGA, and his endorsements of Trump are undeniably overbearing and irrational.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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From the lake’s eastern shore, a lush green golf course bumps and rolls toward the swimming pool and fountains at the feet of the Hispano-Moresque mansion known as Mar-a-Lago, the historic hub of Palm Beach society, a gargantuan single-family home, a monument to ostentation.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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The pink-and-brown mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring 20s ostentation, stretches from Lake Worth to the Atlantic Ocean and contains 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms, three bomb shelters, a theater, a ballroom and a nine-hole golf course.—
Miami Herasld Archives,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In the 2010s, baking sourdough bread at home went from quirky, hippie affectation to a serious hobby.—
Meghan McCarron,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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That was just a bizarre affectation, a strange impression of a dancing horse that offered basically nothing constructive, and ultimately made his eventual miss look five times as stupid.—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
9 July 2024
Noun
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That sense of superiority, while warranted, has been a problem for Tomás and his family in the past.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2025
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Armstrong even noted bitcoin’s superiority over gold regarding divisibility and portability.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sunday was Trump's first full day back in Washington since his Election Day victory and gave him a chance to energize core supporters before the official pomp of Inauguration Day.—
WILL WEISSERT,
arkansasonline.com,
20 Jan. 2025
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The funeral, part of a week of events mourning the ex-president ahead of his burial in tiny Plains, Georgia, was packed with pageantry, intrigue, pomp and ceremony, in notable juxtaposition with Carter’s homespun life.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Even Saanen’s most renowned, high-end establishments remain low-key and devoid of pretension, like 16 ART-BAR-RESTAURANT, credited by Michelin as Bib Gourmand for an experience and culinary offering that is both high quality and good value.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2025
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This was the night that any pretensions over Arsenal possessing the requisite firepower to compete on four fronts were put to bed.—
Jordan Campbell,
The Athletic,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ernest Hemingway’s suicide lacked the flamboyance of Mishima’s, but the American writer was also obsessively engaged in displays of masculinity.—
Ian Buruma,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
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On stage at British television’s biggest annual gathering in 2023, Paramount UK content chief Ben Frow recounted the story of his resignation with signature flamboyance.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Popular on Variety Craig Sweeny’s screenplay strikes a frequently arch posture to accommodate this trickster protagonist, which undermines any pretense of seriousness elsewhere.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025
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To suggest that gimmickry somehow cancels a film’s worthiness plays into the nonsensical pretenses of awards season.—
Armond White,
National Review,
24 Jan. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near pretentiousness
Cite this Entry
“Pretentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentiousness. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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