pretension
18
7.7
- noun
- /prɪˈtɛnʃən/
- Offensive
:
pretensión
- Her pretension to be an expert in finance was evident when she struggled to explain basic concepts.
- deflate pretensions
- pretensions of ideological hegemony
- imperial pretensions
So the fascist with, you know, colonial pretensions in the in the Horn of Africa.
- So the fascist with, you know, colonial pretensions in the in the Horn of Africa.
- And it was just a brutal takedown of the moral pretensions of academia.
- Urbanization cannot be conditioned by the pretensions of a pre-existing asceticism.
- He's a, he's suspicious of wealth and pretension, right?
- And he didn't like what he thought were Khrushchev's reforms and also Khrushchev's pretensions to moving the Soviet Union into communism.
- But that's, that's McIntyre, you know, not a lot of pretension, not a lot of extra stuff going on.
- Why don't we look at sense certainty, see what goes on and see whether it measures up to its own pretensions?
Examples
-
Others in the classroom wearily endured her little pretensions; they'd been similarly guilty often enough.
Fiction book (2001) -
I had become more willing to accept their pretensions to humanity since we landed.
Fiction book (1998) -
Through this alleged connection with the past, culture supports the nation's pretension to be "natural," genuine, and unique.
Academic text (1991) -
Spare me your military pretensions.
-
Shakespeare is indeed a sign of elitism, pretension, authority, and establishment.
Fiction book (1994) -
But worst of all, despite their pretensions, they are notoriously poor predictors.
Academic text (1995) -
Don't you know he's a man of great pretensions?
-
I will not tolerate a local handyman with pretensions to being a policeman.
-
He was ashamed of his boasting... his pretensions of courage and ruthlessness.
-
Don't tell me you're still entertaining those laughable literary pretensions you once had.
Fiction book (1998)
Synonyms
65
6.1
A false claim or action to hide the truth
52
3.0
A statement that makes something seem bigger, better, or worse than it is
34
7.0
Behaving to impress people instead of being honest
8
6.2
Thinking you are more important than other people
6
7.7
A way of acting like you are very important that annoys other people
4
9.9
Trying to make yourself seem more important or powerful than you are
3
8.5
An act of showing off money or achievements to get attention
2
7.2
Feeling that you are better than other people because you think highly of yourself
2
7.7
Acting like you are more important or more educated than you really are
1
8.1
A way of behaving that shows you think you are better than other people
Antonyms
How Pretentious
- Specialized
1
7.9
6
7.7
- Offensive
18
7.7
3
8.5
11
8.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Pretension comes from Latin parts pre- ('before') and tendere ('to stretch'), which once meant 'to stretch out before'. Think of it like pretend: stretching a claim out as if it were true, so a pretension is a claim someone makes about themselves that is often not deserved.