pretentious

[ pri-ten-shuhs ]

adjective

1. characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved:

   a pretentious, self-important waiter.

   Synonyms: pompous

2. making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.

   Synonyms: showy

3. full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.

pretentious

/ prɪˈtɛnʃəs /

adjective

1. making claim to distinction or importance, esp undeservedly
2. having or creating a deceptive outer appearance of great worth; ostentatious

Derived Forms

• preˈtentiously, adverb
• preˈtentiousness, noun

Other Words From

• pre·tentious·ly adverb
• pre·tentious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pretentious¹

First recorded in 1835–45; earlier pretensious; equivalent to pretense + -ious

Synonym Study

See bombastic. See grandiose.

Example Sentences

When I was taking business school classes, I felt like there were certain words for things that were—I don’t want to say pretentious—but intended to keep people out.

From Time

We meet Jo Wright, a successful children’s author, who is immediately annoyed that her arch nemesis, pretentious adult novelist Will Price, is at the festival where she’s speaking.

From Time

The power of art to heal, and the possibly pretentious, but also possibly heartwarming, thing where we may actually crave that art once it’s taken away.

From The Daily Beast

Bros became briefly notorious earlier this month after travel blogger Geraldine DeRuiter made a post mocking the pretentious, overpriced, and frequently inedible 27-course meal she and her friends had there.

From Vox

No Words, the third Little Bridge Island book, follows Jo Wright, a successful children’s author, at a book festival where she just so happens to run into her arch nemesis Will Price, a pretentious adult novelist.

From Time

Svein: To be very big on things, bordering on the pretentious, I see it as all of those things.

From The Daily Beast

I have never felt that displaying these things was right, as her grandson it felt a little - if not a lot - pretentious.

From The Daily Beast

Actually, my standard was less pretentious: Is it good for the Jews?

From The Daily Beast

The comingling of the art and pop music worlds is pointless and pretentious.

From The Daily Beast

It was becoming increasingly elitist, pretentious, and exclusive.

From The Daily Beast

In the centre was a log-house, larger and more pretentious than many log-houses which he had seen in the South.

From Project Gutenberg

The little inn was cleanlier and better kept than many of the more pretentious ones.

From Project Gutenberg

With costers and bargemen one can always get on familiarly: it is the pretentious, vulgar men and females who are horrible.

From Project Gutenberg

An affected and pretentious woman is all deportment and words; a sensible woman shows her sense by her behaviour.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus an imitation of sagacity becomes pretentious affectation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• arty
• exaggerated
• grandiose
• hollow
• overblown
• pompous
• showy
• stilted
• turgid