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pretentious

[ pri-ten-shuhs ]
/ prɪˈtɛn ʃəs /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pretentious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved: a pretentious, self-important waiter.
making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.
full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.

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RELATED WORDS

grandiosity, ostentation, pretension, pomposity, arrogance, egotism, vanity, cockiness, smugness, immodesty, grandioseness

Nearby words

  1. pretended,
  2. pretender,
  3. pretense,
  4. pretension,
  5. pretensive,
  6. preter-,
  7. preterhuman,
  8. preterist,
  9. preterit,
  10. preterite

Origin of pretentious

1835–45; earlier pretensious. See pretense, -ious
Related formspre·ten·tious·ly, adverbpre·ten·tious·ness, noun
Can be confusedportentous pretentious

Synonym study

1. See bombastic. 2. See grandiose.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pretentiousness

British Dictionary definitions for pretentiousness

pretentious

/ (prɪˈtɛnʃəs) /

adjective

making claim to distinction or importance, esp undeservedly
having or creating a deceptive outer appearance of great worth; ostentatious
Derived Formspretentiously, adverbpretentiousness, noun
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