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Definition of pretentious

pretentious

/prɪˈtɛn.ʃəs/
pre · ten · tious
Adverb:pretentiously
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pretentious Lexical Profile

pretentious Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Attempting to impress others by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, or sophistication than is actually possessed.

Example

"The critic dismissed the director's latest film as overly pretentious and lacking genuine emotional depth."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for pretentious

• Nearby Words

pretender
pretense
pretension
pretentious
pretentiously
pretentiousness
preterm

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-19th century from French 'prétentieux', from Medieval Latin 'praetentiosus', ultimately from Latin 'praetendere' ('to stretch forth, put forward as a claim').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pretentious. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pretentious
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