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pretentious

[pri-ten-shuhs] / prɪˈtɛn ʃəs /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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“It’s pretentious indulgence and I’m making a condescending judgment that half the audience doesn’t have a clue about it.”

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 25, 2026

The 22-year-old from Fife accepts that sometimes black and white shoots can feel "pretentious and tacky", but from watching the trailer, Spider-Noir feels different.

From BBC May 27, 2026

While the nation’s capital is filled with pretentious individuals who love to inhale their own fumes, the Oscars this ain’t.

From Salon May 1, 2026

Greater clarity can help a speaker seem more refined but can also strike the ear as cold or pretentious.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 26, 2026

My formal Spanish must have sounded as pretentious to the ears of the paisano as “Whither goeth my sire?” would have sounded to a semi-literate Ozark mountaineer.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou




Vocabulary lists containing pretentious


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