1
as in arrogant
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superior
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
a pretentious author whose books only appeal to equally pretentious readers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretentious
But Patachou was the first of a genre that seems to keep getting more pretentious if not necessarily better.
—
Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 5 Dec. 2025
People insisting that the Prime titles aren't mere first-person shooters but first-person adventures was always a bit of a pretentious statement.
—PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025
As luck would have it, while living like a character out of an Austen novel, Jane meets a standoffish man who initially comes off as rude and pretentious.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
The use of her royal title is beyond pretentious.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretentious
Adjective
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This version of Ryan was arrogant, unable to conceal pride in his accomplishment.—
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Adjective
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Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.—
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Among the latter is ravenous beaver Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster, hilarious), who turns out to be a key ally, and pompous new mayor Brian Winddancer (Patrick Warburton), a stallion who used to be an actor.—
Adjective
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Besides, $500 gets you a pretty decent phone these days — without ostentatious gold and a close affiliation with a president who has a decades-long track record of launching and sinking well over a dozen businesses.—
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Underneath all the spandex and over-the-top production numbers is a sincere film that cares as much about sharing the joy of music as satirizing its ostentatious performance.—
Adjective
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The Minneapolis steakhouse channels that grandiose 1940s architecture in its design, dreamed up by Wilson Ishihara.—
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Coin studied and transformed the grandiose palazzo designs into wearable works of art.—
Adjective
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But that poem is no smug cliché.—
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Marcello is looking especially smug and evil in this scene for reasons unclear.—
Adjective
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South Florida sports history is proud to have been the host for Crump’s barrier-busting history.—
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The Big Ten is marching into the heart of Southern football with a proud swagger, daring any conference to challenge its claim as the power to beat in the College Football Playoff.—
Adjective
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And even when America fell short, when its actions didn’t align with its ideals, when national interests overrode high-minded principles, its aspirations didn’t change.—
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If that’s you, feel free to set aside this review and move on to more high-minded pursuits.—
Cite this Entry
“Pretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretentious. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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