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Pretentious: meaning, definitions and examples

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pretentious

 

[ prɪˈtɛnʃəs ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in describing someone or something

Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

Synonyms

affected, ostentatious, pompous, showy

Examples of usage

  • He spoke in a pretentious manner, using big words to seem smarter.
  • The art exhibit was filled with pretentious paintings that lacked genuine emotion.
  • Don't be so pretentious, just be yourself.
  • Her pretentious behavior alienated her from her colleagues.
  • The pretentious attitude of the new manager rubbed the employees the wrong way.

Translations

Translations of the word "pretentious" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pretensioso

🇮🇳 दिखावटी

🇩🇪 pretentiös

🇮🇩 sok tahu

🇺🇦 претензійний

🇵🇱 pretensjonalny

🇯🇵 気取った

🇫🇷 prétentieux

🇪🇸 pretencioso

🇹🇷 gösterişli

🇰🇷 허세 부리는

🇸🇦 مُتَظَاهِر

🇨🇿 namyšlený

🇸🇰 domýšľavý

🇨🇳 自命不凡的

🇸🇮 pretenciozen

🇮🇸 hrokafullur

🇰🇿 мақтаншақ

🇬🇪 ფარისებრი

🇦🇿 iddialı

🇲🇽 pretencioso

Etymology

The word 'pretentious' originated from the Latin word 'praetendere' which means 'to stretch forth, claim'. Over time, the word evolved to refer to someone who claims or aspires to a higher social status or intellectual level than they actually possess. The term became popular in English in the 19th century and has since been used to describe individuals or things that try to impress others by pretending to be more important or sophisticated than they really are.

See also: pretend, pretended, pretender, pretenders, pretending, pretension.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,415, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.