1
as in right
an entitlement to something
a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
a woman full of pretension and pompousness
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3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the pretension of that French restaurant is more than I can bear
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4
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretension
The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.
—
Rem Koolhaas, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Rem Koolhaas, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
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That element may now get its wish as soon as our upcoming June primary, effectively prioritizing the narrow ideology of a few hundred party loyalists over the fundamental voting rights of hundreds of thousands of independent citizens.—
Kent Thiry,
Denver Post,
27 Apr. 2026
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The right to mock, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is foundational to democracy.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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They both, in a good way, reek of confidence – not arrogance but confidence.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Justice Brett Kavanaugh emphasized that a major purpose of the federal law is to provide uniformity.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Here, sheep can’t solve crimes until human incompetence forces them to step into the breach; though pushed for the purposes of fantasy, the limits of animal intelligence are a poignant factor in the tale.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The numbers also highlight how Safonov is making cross claims or sweeping outside his box more than twice the rate Chevalier is, although the Frenchman is more adept with his feet, playing more passes, completing a higher rate.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Lead with calm confidence, but keep your claims grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There are those who once thought that the superiority of machines would cause a crisis for chess—and for humanity.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Piech wanted to show off the superiority of VW Group’s engineering.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On the day of Lincoln’s election, the Wide Awakes patrolled polling places under the pretense of protecting democracy, while opponents viewed it as voter intimidation.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
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Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hryckowian, meanwhile, has just one shot on goal in four games despite playing on the top line.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The goal is to build muscle memory before a real emergency.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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