pretentious
Americanadjective
-
characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved.
a pretentious, self-important waiter.
- Synonyms:
- pompous
-
making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.
- Synonyms:
- showy
-
full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.
adjective
-
making claim to distinction or importance, esp undeservedly
-
having or creating a deceptive outer appearance of great worth; ostentatious
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pretentious
First recorded in 1835–45; earlier pretensious; equivalent to pretense + -ious
Explanation
Use the adjective pretentious as a way to criticize people who try to act like they are more important or knowledgeable than they really are. You might not be surprised to learn that pretentious is related to the word pretend, and it is an adjective that fits the bill for describing someone who's only concerned with making an impressive appearance. If you don't want to be accused of being pretentious, just act naturally and don't put on airs!
Vocabulary lists containing pretentious
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For whatever it’s worth, it may sound pretentious, but I kind of feel it’s important to try and anchor myself in some sense of purpose.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
While the nation’s capital is filled with pretentious individuals who love to inhale their own fumes, the Oscars this ain’t.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
Greater clarity can help a speaker seem more refined but can also strike the ear as cold or pretentious.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
For Parrot, it would be "pretentious" for the club to consider themselves as a model for other Ligue 1 sides in terms of navigating financial uncertainties.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
He could quote Browning or Tennyson or Shakespeare at the drop of a hat, and the quote was always apt and telling, never pretentious or affected.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
