pretension

[pri-ten-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pretension ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the laying of a claim to something.

a claim or title to something.

Often pretensions. a claim made, especially indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit, or the like: They laughed at my pretensions to superior judgment.

a claim to dignity, importance, or merit.

pretentiousness.

the act of pretending or alleging.

an allegation of doubtful veracity.

a pretext.

Nearby words

Origin of pretension

First recorded in 1590–1600, pretension is from the Medieval Latin word praetēnsiōn- (stem of praetēnsiō). See pretense, -ion

pretension

[pree-ten-shuh n]

verb (used with object)

(in prestressed-concrete construction) to apply tension to (reinforcing strands) before the concrete is poured.Compare posttension(def 1).

to make (a concrete member) with pretensioned reinforcement.

Origin of pretension

First recorded in 1935–40; pre- + tension

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pretension

Trekkies are defensive about the minutiae of their sacred source material, sometimes to the point of pretension.
Is J.J. Abrams Lost in Space?|Sujay Kumar|May 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Humor, after all, is a social corrective against arrogance, ignorance and pretension.
The Comedian Political Takeover|John Avlon|September 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But it's also because, from the APF's point of view, pretension is bad business.
Little Gimmicks Fund Big Exhibits|W.M. Akers|September 22, 2010|DAILY BEAST
People loved Julia because she was very straightforward, and she didn't put on any airs, or have any pretension.
How Julia Loosened Me Up|Jacques Pepin|August 4, 2009|DAILY BEAST

That would be a pretension from which the great writers who possessed the talent necessary to describe themselves preserve me.
My Own Affairs|Louise, Princess of Belgium
The Schloss is a house of very moderate size, and no pretension of any kind.
George Eliot's Life, Vol. I (of 3)|George Eliot
Then will the Barbarism of Slavery be repelled, and the pretension of property in man be rebuked.
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 6 (of 20)|Charles Sumner
But I plainly saw none of them could endure this experiment long enough to make good that pretension.
Early Travels in Palestine|Arculf et al.
Afterward, in the name of this pretension, he sought to arrest all action by Congress for the relief of the settlers there.
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 7 (of 20)|Charles Sumner

British Dictionary definitions for pretension

pretension

noun

(often plural) a false or unsupportable claim, esp to merit, worth, or importance

a specious or unfounded allegation; pretext

the state or quality of being pretentious

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pretension

pretension

mid-15c., "assertion, allegation; objection; intention; signification," from Medieval Latin pretensionem (nominative praetensio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin praetendere "stretch in front, put forward, allege" (see pretend (v.)). Meaning "unproven claim" is from c.1600. Sense of "ostentation" is from 1727.