1
as in right
an entitlement to something
a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary
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2
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
a woman full of pretension and pompousness
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3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the pretension of that French restaurant is more than I can bear
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4
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretension
With the playoff pretension erased and McDaniel’s job presumably saved, the only question left is the one we’ve been asked all this decade, since the 2020 Draft.
—
Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
The same thing Linklater has been teaching me my whole life, which is that humor is the great cure for pretension.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Ron Rosenbaum on the Icon and the Enigma To be caught in the spotlight of our pretensions is the worst kind of embarrassment there is.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Few things jar the delicate pretensions of the cocktail sophisticate so much as a drink with a chicken on top.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
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The Honda moves forward, turning to the right.—
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Costco would add one right-in/right-out turn on Idaho 55, another on Hill Road, and a new roundabout on Hill Road, the traffic analysis said.—
Noun
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Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach take turns transforming into floating marketplaces — docks converted to catwalks, hulls polished to reflective arrogance, sales reps who can quote fuel burn like yacht owners care about costs.—
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College football is awash in problems, including the Big Ten’s unrivaled arrogance, and its never-ending list of demands that would make Notre Dame blush.—
Noun
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Now, though levees may not exactly be back, royal affectations and the disputes that go with them are.—
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That’s probably an affectation.—
Noun
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The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.—
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The core purpose of Taste Addison – promoting Addison's 200+ restaurants – will be reenvisioned to include new, year-round options to support and elevate North Texas' most vibrant dining hub.—
Noun
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Federal officials said Good attempted to drive her vehicle toward agents during the encounter, a claim disputed by family members and some local leaders.—
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Witnesses and local leaders have contradicted that claim, saying Good was trying to leave and steering away from the agent.—
Noun
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Conversely, Taiwan’s adoption of drone technologies and counter-measures reflects a broader global trend in modern warfare where autonomy, numbers, and networked systems can offset traditional military superiority.—
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Despite Barca’s recent dominance and established superiority in terms of history, fanbase and budget, the rivalry between the clubs is fierce.—
Noun
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This week’s truncating of the schedule removed whatever pretense remained that Kennedy’s HHS would respect the scientific process for making decisions about vaccines even when that process was dominated by allies who had already taken action to roll back recommendations.—
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But gone are the days when those books were displayed to show off the intellect and interests of their owners — and with it, the pretense, at least, that their owners had read them.—
Noun
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Join Palmer in crushing New Year’s fitness goals with this nifty Pilates set that comes with a ring, mini ball, and four resistance bands.—
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Giving love to local venues For McLaughlin and Arthurs, the goal was always to bring the film to venues around the Carolinas as a way to promote those spaces, like The Milestone, that were filled with local music history.—
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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