pretentious

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.

One might say that, three years ahead of the show’s jump to YouTube, Academy voters are making a concerted effort to distance themselves from the perception that the Oscars are elitist and pretentious.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

The couple knew immediately that the piece had to be featured in their property, but they wanted to come up with a way to make it appear less pretentious, she continued.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025

It still is, albeit pricier and more pretentious, if you ask those who grew up there.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025

The 87-year-old Pulitzer finalist and Twitter legend Joyce Carol Oates, whose “laboriously pretentious drivel” would be less enjoyable than “eating a bag of sawdust,” per the world’s wealthiest man.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

“You would. Big white whale is a metaphor for everything. You live for pretentious metaphors.”

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green