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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.

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

In Tim Burton’s breakthrough film, O’Hara played tragically hip Delia Deetz, the pretentious and self-absorbed stepmother of Winona Ryder’s Lydia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 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 contains lots of instances of its heroine stopping to wonder what everything means, which is another way of saying it’s ponderous and pretentious.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

He could quote lines from his favorite comedies, like Caddyshack, or poke fun at someone who was too pretentious or willfully ignorant.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French




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