pretentious
adjective/prɪˈtɛnʃəs/
Frequency rank: #10,980 most common English word
Meaning
Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, or culture than one actually has.
Example sentence
Some critics found his writing style overly pretentious and hard to enjoy.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 10,901–11,000
- passera person who passes by a place, especially on foot.
- pathogena microorganism, such as a bacterium or virus, that causes disease.
- piazzaA public square or marketplace, especially in an Italian town.
- possessiveWanting to own or control something (or someone) exclusively; unwilling to share.
- prefecturean administrative district or region in certain countries, especially Japan.
- promenadea leisurely walk or a paved public path, especially along a waterfront.
- pronounA word that takes the place of a noun, such as 'he', 'she', or 'they'.
- proximalLocated nearest to the point of attachment or the center of the body.
- rapporta close and harmonious relationship in which people understand each other well.
- raptureA feeling of intense joy or delight; ecstasy.