ostentation

American  

[os-ten-tey-shuhn, -tuhn-] / ˌɒs tɛnˈteɪ ʃən, -tən- /

noun

1. pretentious or conspicuous show, as of wealth or importance; display intended to impress others.

   Synonyms:

   extravagance, pretense, pretension, affectation

2. Archaic. the act of showing or exhibiting; display.

---

ostentation British  

/ ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. pretentious, showy, or vulgar display

---

Usage

What are other ways to say ostentation?

Ostentation is the pretentious or conspicuous showing of one’s wealth or importance. How does ostentation compare to show, display, and pomp? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

• nonostentation noun

Etymology

Origin of ostentation

1425–75; late Middle English ostentacioun < Middle French ostentation < Latin ostentātiōn- (stem of ostentātiō ), equivalent to ostentāt ( us ) past participle of ostentāre to display, exhibit, frequentative of ostendere to present, display (equivalent to os-, var of ob- ob- + ten ( dere ) to stretch + -t- frequentative suffix + -ātus -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

And she has gold lozenges painted all around the perimeter of her shroud, done tastefully, without obvious ostentation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

If you excuse the ostentation of the sentiment, Watters is absolutely correct.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2025

Some of the graves have metal plates inscribed with a name and date of birth and death – though many do not as Islamic clerics do not encourage ostentation.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

Its three 55-story towers — a hive of bling and ostentation — are connected at the top with a sleek, surfboard-shaped skydeck that houses one of the world’s highest infinity pools.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2022

It conforms to Alexander Pope’s definition of simplicity as “the mean between ostentation and rusticity.”

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith