Pretentious Meaning
/pɹɪˈtɛn.ʃəs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjMotivated by an inappropriate, excessive, or unjustified desire to impress others.
adjMarked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
Sentence Examples
Her nature is neither affected nor pretentious.
You are so pretentious!
He's a pretentious boy who thinks he's better than everyone else.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The author's ____ writing style used many fancy words that confused readers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The restaurant was criticized for being overly ____, with unnecessarily complex descriptions of simple dishes.
Word Origin & History
From French prétentieux, from prétention, from Latin praetēnsus (“false or hypocritical profession”), past participle of praetendō. Note that pretentious is spelled with a ‘t’, unlike related pretense, pretension. This is due to the French spelling: *-sious does not occur as an English suffix, though -sion and -tion both do.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I recall the height of comfort attained by the green-cushioned "first" with starched white antimacassars and a pretentious grey floor mat on which it seemed a sacrilege to stand, as it was embellished with the North Western conception of Britannia, complete with trident."
— 1951 October 26, R. S. McNaught, “Lines of Approach”, in Railway Magazine, pages 703–704:
"The station (1840) was originally Cheltenham but the more grandiose Cheltenham Spa since 1925, which feels a bit pretentious as the town has never allowed itself to assume such airs and graces."
— 2023 January 11, Stephen Roberts, “Bradshaw's Britain: castles and cathedrals”, in RAIL, number 974, page 56:
"... the first definite and pretentious attempt to make the wardrobe trunk a commercial possibility ... The new trunk would be exploited direct to the traveling public, and he had the means for a pretentious start."
— 1917 January 26, “Season 1917”, in Trunks, Leather Goods, and Umbrellas, volume 39, number 1, page 54:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The author's ____ writing style used many fancy words that confused readers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The restaurant was criticized for being overly ____, with unnecessarily complex descriptions of simple dishes.