pretentious

/pɹɪˈtɛnʃəs/adjective

Trying to appear more impressive, important, or cultured than one really is.

Example sentences

“The menu was full of pretentious descriptions for very ordinary dishes.”
“He has a pretentious habit of quoting philosophers he has never read.”

One of the most frequent put-downs in art and restaurant reviews. It attacks the gap between the pose and the substance.

Featured as word of the day on October 6, 2026.

Synonyms for pretentious

affected
showy
pompous
snobbish
ostentatious

Antonyms

unpretentious
modest
down-to-earth

Find it in: Words to describe a person.

Related words

grandioseVery large or ambitious in a way meant to impress.prodigalSpending or giving something freely and wastefully; extravagant.pugnaciousQuick to argue or fight; aggressive by nature.petulantRude, irritable, and childishly bad-tempered.pettyCaring too much about small, unimportant things, often in a spiteful or mean way.quarrelsomeTending to argue or pick fights with people.