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
Derived 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.
The 22-year-old from Fife accepts that sometimes black and white shoots can feel "pretentious and tacky", but from watching the trailer, Spider-Noir feels different.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
In Tim Burton’s breakthrough film, O’Hara played tragically hip Delia Deetz, the pretentious and self-absorbed stepmother of Winona Ryder’s Lydia.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026
Johnson’s narrative is enlivened by its colorful cast, particularly the exuberant, and possibly fraudulent, Conte Querini of Venice, and the imperious and pretentious playwright Dorothy Merlin.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
The couple knew immediately that the piece had to be featured in their property, but they wanted to come up with a way to make it appear less pretentious, she continued.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025
“You would. Big white whale is a metaphor for everything. You live for pretentious metaphors.”
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
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.
