Definitions for pretentious
prɪˈtɛn ʃəspre·ten·tious

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. pretentiousadjective

   making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction

   "a pretentious country house"; "a pretentious fraud"; "a pretentious scholarly edition"

2. ostentatious, pretentiousadjective

   intended to attract notice and impress others

   "an ostentatious sable coat"

3. ostentatious, pretentiousadjective

   (of a display) tawdry or vulgar

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. pretentiousadjective

   Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.

   Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.

   Etymology: From prétentieux, from prétention, from praetensus, past participle of praetendo.

2. pretentiousadjective

   Ostentatious; intended to impress others.

   Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.

   Etymology: From prétentieux, from prétention, from praetensus, past participle of praetendo.

Webster Dictionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pretentiousadjective

   full of pretension; disposed to lay claim to more than is one's; presuming; assuming

   Etymology: [Cf. F. prtentieux. See Pretend.]

How to pronounce pretentious?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say pretentious in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of pretentious in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of pretentious in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of pretentious in a Sentence

1. Sotigui Kouyaté:

   Let’s be modest. Africa is vast, and it would be pretentious to speak in its name. I’m fighting the battle with words because I’m a storyteller, a griot. Rightly or wrongly, they call us masters of the spoken word. Our duty is to encourage the West to appreciate Africa more. It’s also true that many Africans don’t really know their own continent. And if you forget your culture, you lose sight of yourself. It is said that “the day you no longer know where you’re going, just remember where you came from.” Our strength lies in our culture. Everything I do as a storyteller, a griot, stems from this rooting and openness.

2. Anuj Somany:

   An election is not a solution and rather it is an aggravation of problem for the common population until the nation has a real opposition party in politics,not the pretentious ones.

3. Henry W. Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1926):

   Quotation ... A writer expresses himself in words that have been used before because they give his meaning better than he can give it himself, or because they are beautiful or witty, or because he expects them to touch a cord of association in his reader, or because he wishes to show that he is learned and well read. Quotations due to the last motive are invariably ill-advised; the discerning reader detects it and is contemptuous; the undiscerning is perhaps impressed, but even then is at the same time repelled, pretentious quotations being the surest road to tedium.

4. San Francisco:

   A pretentious way of saying 'selected,'.

5. Stephanie Clifford:

   I think it’s a coincidence, i’m not pretentious enough to think she named her after me.

Images & Illustrations of pretentious

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