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unpretentious

unpretentious

8 5.1
Simple and honest in style and not trying to impress people
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnprɪˈtɛnʃəs/
: modesto
  • His unpretentious style of writing makes it easy for readers to connect with his stories.

It was very unpretentious and it somehow demystified it and made it easier to start.

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Examples

  • Joe and Martha were about as relaxed and unpretentious as you could get.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • No lights burn behind the windows in the commercial buildings or the unpretentious houses lining the surrounding streets.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • It's funny how a lot of these identity politics are best fought with unpretentious common sense.

    Blog text (9)
  • You showed that one could appreciate and love the classics and still enjoy an unpretentious monster movie.

    Blog text (9)
  • Mrs. Grady, we have a modest, unpretentious little hospital...

  • Everything about Frank's life seems unpretentious, orderly and legitimate.

  • Inside, the house was warm and unpretentious, what he would’ve expected of Carrie.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The house was large and comfortable, but it was modern, unpretentious—tastefully austere.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The tone should be confident but not grandiose, informative but brief, dignified but unpretentious, courteous but approachable.

  • The restaurant is known for its unpretentious atmosphere, where everyone feels welcome.

Synonyms

humble
vsunpretentious
238 2.8

Not proud and not thinking you are better than others

puts more weight on being simple and not trying to impress others
modest
vsunpretentious
83 2.7

Not thinking you are better than others and not boasting

also involves plainness and genuineness, not only low self view
low-key
vsunpretentious
  • Informal
44 5.0

Calm and simple in style without showy details

is more about sincere modesty and not trying to impress people
understated
vsunpretentious
23 6.5

Simple and quiet in a way that looks elegant

focuses more on plain genuineness than on tasteful subtlety
unassuming
vsunpretentious
20 5.8

A person or thing that is not proud and not showy

includes that modest behaviour but stresses being sincere and unshowy
nothing fancy
vsunpretentious
19 2.7

Simple and plain without anything special or expensive

focuses more on modest sincerity rather than just lacking extras
folksy
vsunpretentious
  • Informal
13 5.8

Being friendly and informal in a simple way like a village neighbor

is broader, indicating plain modesty without the regional friendly tone
earthy
vsunpretentious
10 4.1

Practical and friendly in a simple, natural way

shares plainness but emphasises practical directness rather than pure modesty
self-effacing
vsunpretentious
7 7.4

Not wanting attention and being modest

is more about simple genuine character than just avoiding attention
unostentatious
vsunpretentious
1 7.8

Simple and modest in style and not trying to attract attention

leans more on genuine simplicity and not seeking others' admiration
unflashy
vsunpretentious
1 4.4

Simple in style and not trying to attract attention

adds the sense of true modesty and not trying to impress people
unpretending
vsunpretentious
1 6.8

Simple and modest in style or behaviour

is about inner modesty and genuine plainness rather than just avoiding show
unprecious
vsunpretentious
1 6.1

Plain and not valuable, fancy, or important

is about being modest and genuine rather than lacking value
unfancy
vsunpretentious
1 3.4

Plain and simple, not expensive or decorated

adds the idea of being genuinely modest and not trying to impress
unshowy
vsunpretentious
1 4.5

Looks modest and simple and does not attract attention

focuses more on sincere modesty and not trying to impress others
unstuffy
vsunpretentious
  • Informal
1 4.3

Casual and friendly so people feel comfortable

is more about simple modesty and not trying to impress others
uninflated
vsunpretentious
1 4.4

Simple in style and not exaggerated

is similar but emphasises authenticity and lack of showmanship
unpompous
vsunpretentious
7.1

Not trying to seem important or very formal

includes that lack of pomp but also stresses simple genuineness

Antonyms

pretentious
  • Offensive
67 7.3

Trying to seem more important or clever than you really are

9 3.2

Bright or fancy in a way that draws attention

How Pretentious

ostentatious
11 7.7
affected
4 7.5
unpretentious
8 5.1
modest
83 2.7

Surface Forms

unpretentious positive

Morphology

unpretentious = pretentious (transparent) = un + pretentious

Meaning is directly the negative of 'pretentious' using the productive English prefix 'un-'.

Etymology

Unpretentious starts with un- meaning 'not' and the rest comes from pretend, which means 'to act' or 'to try to impress'. So unpretentious literally means 'not pretending', and that's why it describes someone or something simple and modest.