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Synonyms

unpretentious

American  
[uhn-pri-ten-shuhs] / ˌʌn prɪˈtɛn ʃəs /

adjective

  1. not pretentious; modest; without ostentatious display; plain.

    his unpretentious demeanor; an unpretentious summer resort.
    Synonyms:
    easy, open, plain, humble
unpretentious British  
/ ˌʌnprɪˈtɛnʃəs /

adjective

  1. not making claim to distinction or importance undeservedly

"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

Other Word Forms

  • unpretentiously adverb
  • unpretentiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of unpretentious

First recorded in 1855–60; un- 1 + pretentious

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.

It's well-loved and unpretentious, with Chanel and Dior handbags dangling from the ceiling, and shelves of crystal-embellished heels.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

I found him unpretentious and easygoing in conversation, not given to theoretical double-talk, and with none of the abrasive New York swagger of his contemporaries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Its stucco, concrete, metal and glass structures showcase Gehry’s evolving language of shifting scales, fractured forms, unpretentious materials and sculptural components.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

Its house and formal garden may appear rather grand, but I found Claude unpretentious and warm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

It was unpretentious, masculine, decorated with a nautical motif, and had a constant smell of fried bacon about it.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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.