as in pretension
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
a woman of great affectation at social gatherings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affectation
In the beginning of the series, which starts in the 1950s and goes through the AIDS epidemic, Tim is still boyish, and his affinity for milk is just another cute affectation that catches Hawk’s eye.
—
Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
In the 2010s, baking sourdough bread at home went from quirky, hippie affectation to a serious hobby.
—Meghan McCarron, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
That was just a bizarre affectation, a strange impression of a dancing horse that offered basically nothing constructive, and ultimately made his eventual miss look five times as stupid.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 9 July 2024
She’s doe-eyed and eager and preening with Grande adopting a mid-century affectation, à la Gloria Grahame in Oklahoma!
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for affectation
Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
In the 2010s, baking sourdough bread at home went from quirky, hippie affectation to a serious hobby.
—Meghan McCarron, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
That was just a bizarre affectation, a strange impression of a dancing horse that offered basically nothing constructive, and ultimately made his eventual miss look five times as stupid.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 9 July 2024
She’s doe-eyed and eager and preening with Grande adopting a mid-century affectation, à la Gloria Grahame in Oklahoma!
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for affectation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affectation
Noun
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Rabelais points out that there are oddities in the world that cannot fit into any classification scheme, more things in our heaven and earth than are dreamt of in either the medieval pretensions of the summa or the ambitious early modern bibliographic machines.—
Brendan Fitzgerald,
Longreads,
27 Dec. 2024
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So often a potential title decider, the only team here that have title pretensions are Liverpool.—
Andy Jones,
The Athletic,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But what unfolded in the White House on Friday was a striking departure—an unprecedented display of hostility, arrogance, and political theater that raises serious concerns about America's global leadership.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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Reportedly, Tulip mastermind Charles Hegel (played with perfect measure of condescending arrogance by Josh Brener) has died in Kenya, and took with him all the necessary passwords needed to access the accounts of his many investors.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington under the pretense of negotiating a peace deal.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
-
But in the media-state singularity, there is not even the pretense of space between the two worlds.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Each of the bedrooms has a corresponding en suite that features beadboard walls, an oak vanity with rope detailing, and a stone countertop that extends upwards to wrap around the mirrors.—
Morgan Goldberg,
Architectural Digest,
3 Mar. 2025
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Residential wet rooms can be just one feature in an expensive, spa-like primary bathroom decked out with a sauna, toilet, vanity and a mini cold-plunge pool.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But, then, genuine misanthropic disdain is part of Verhoeven's tool kit.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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Musk has long voiced disdain for Biden and notably was not invited to the administration's electric vehicle summit in 2021.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This condition is what philosopher Charles Mills, speaking of the American context, labeled epistemological ignorance—a deliberate unknowing, an insistence on the myth of white superiority, of white exceptionalism.—
Christine Winter,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
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And so Tyla’s comments were also taken as an insinuation of superiority over Black people.—
Funmi Fetto,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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If the primary goal is jobs, while trying to control inflation and reduce the risk of recession, the tariffs would proceed in steps separated by 6 months or more.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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European markets leaped after a report showed an easing of inflation in February.—
COMPILED BYDEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFFFROM WIRE REPORTS,
arkansasonline.com,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
But there is certainly a sense of pride attached to his defense.—
Shane Young,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Women of the Year Merch 2025 Celebrate Women's History month with pride and style.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to affectation
Cite this Entry
“Affectation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affectation. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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