1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretension
Their pretensions are witheringly lampooned in this comic thriller about Ronnie, a Pakistani American who tags along to the desert enclave with her friend turned life coach, Marley.
—
Calum Marsh, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
By contrast, Vito—Genovese, that is, not Corleone—pushes drugs aggressively, resorts to violence early and often, and scoffs at any pretensions of legitimacy, especially given the legalized thuggery of the politicians with whom Frank has curried favor.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
This was the night that any pretensions over Arsenal possessing the requisite firepower to compete on four fronts were put to bed.
—Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
There were no pretensions of showmanship, no displays of braggadocio — just the hollow ringing of palms on goatskin.
—Taran Dugal, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Calum Marsh, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
By contrast, Vito—Genovese, that is, not Corleone—pushes drugs aggressively, resorts to violence early and often, and scoffs at any pretensions of legitimacy, especially given the legalized thuggery of the politicians with whom Frank has curried favor.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
This was the night that any pretensions over Arsenal possessing the requisite firepower to compete on four fronts were put to bed.
—Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
There were no pretensions of showmanship, no displays of braggadocio — just the hollow ringing of palms on goatskin.
—Taran Dugal, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
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Instead, the court said that the right to claim burdens on executive functions belongs to the president, not to his opponents in the case.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
30 May 2025
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If your submission is selected for inclusion in the NPR News Quiz, you will be acknowledged in a list of contributors on NPR's website or otherwise receive appropriate credit, but failure to do so shall not be deemed a breach of your rights.—
Holly J. Morris,
NPR,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Opinion: America was gaslit by the arrogance of Joe Biden and his enablers.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025
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The arrogance of the IRS should shock the conscience of all Americans.—
Chuck Flint,
Boston Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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No fussy affectations, just a deliberate tamping down of his more charismatic qualities.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
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Ivy-as-Marilyn is an inconsiderate, amphetamine guzzling faux-intellectual whose devotion to the acting craft is presented as a vainglorious affectation.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, legal, or cryptocurrency advice.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Inside were human skeletal remains which officials believe were deposited for ritual purposes before the site was abandoned, according to the release.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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The formal presentation took place in the same battle-scarred stadium, Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where Adolf Hitler watched Owens, the Black American athlete, win four gold medals in the 1936 Games, dealing a blow to Hitler’s notions of racial superiority.—
Ciarán Fahey,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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Imagine a future Supreme Court case challenging church-state separation, with Christians vying against Christians for superiority.—
Emmett Coyne,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Noun
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After his arrest, Duffy had faked amnesia and sought asylum in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors prevented the police from interrogating him, but the pretense of the amnesia was exposed at the trial by his ex-wife and a friend.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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May 8 Theft by false pretense: Someone contacted a Saratoga resident, claiming to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The goal is to haul Ford vehicles from the Kentucky Truck Plant to dealerships anywhere in the nation.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
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Those goals were just the fourth and fifth in 14 games this spring.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Wages for Housework may not have been a practical movement, but a government that acted on its ideas of what wives and mothers need would be more likely to stimulate a baby boom than one offering a single check for each birth.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
23 May 2025
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Recently, a special idea came to the family — one that felt like a meaningful way to keep Andreini close.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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