ostentatious
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others.
an ostentatious dresser.
-
(of actions, manner, qualities exhibited, etc.) intended to attract notice.
Lady Bountiful's ostentatious charity.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See grandiose.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ostentatious
First recorded in 1650–60; ostentat(ion) + -ious
Explanation
Reach for the adjective ostentatious when you want a flashy way to say — well, "flashy" or "showy." No one wants to be described as ostentatious, a word whose cousins include pretentious, flamboyant, and gaudy. It originates from the Latin word ostentare, "to display," but in English it's often used for displays of the crass or vulgar sort. A rapper's diamond-encrusted teeth might be an ostentatious display of "bling," and someone wailing especially loudly at a funeral of a distant acquaintance might be making an ostentatious show of sorrow.
Vocabulary lists containing ostentatious
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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.
A Peugeot salt and pepper mill worth £31.65 was also part of the collection but there was no police issued picture of the ostentatious Lalique salt and pepper grinders, bought in 2020 for £2,618.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
Jay Gatsby’s ostentatious fortune failed to win the love of Daisy Buchanan.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
In an era of “common prosperity” and a tightening labor market for youth, ostentatious displays of wealth have become viewed as tone-deaf.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 27, 2026
The ostentatious displays of deference he demanded, and received, from heads of state and CEOs manifested an arrogance that enraged some participants and a vulgarity that revolted others.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
It is exact and perfect in every way—and yet it is not ostentatious.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
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.
