Pretentious
adjective
Trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are, especially in matters of art and literature.
His speech sounded pretentious and insincere.
Often appears as...
- pretentious individual
- pretentious speech
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Trying to appear rich or important.
She's so pretentious- pretending she knows about expensive wines, when she has no clue.
Often appears as...
- pretentious lifestyle
- pretentious display
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
adjective
Trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are, especially in matters of art and literature.
His speech sounded pretentious and insincere.
Often appears as...
- pretentious individual
- pretentious speech
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Trying to appear rich or important.
She's so pretentious- pretending she knows about expensive wines, when she has no clue.
Often appears as...
- pretentious lifestyle
- pretentious display
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Overstated Knowledge
Pretentious implies someone exaggerates their understanding or importance, often in specialized areas.
His pretentious talk on quantum physics irritated all the actual scientists in the room.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Awareness
In art and literature discussions, being called pretentious suggests a lack of authenticity or genuine understanding.
The critic's pretentious analysis was completely missing the artist's true message.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Tone
The term 'pretentious' often carries a negative judgment, implying disapproval of someone's attitude.
People avoided him at parties due to his pretentious demeanor.
Pro Tip 1/3Overstated Knowledge
Pretentious implies someone exaggerates their understanding or importance, often in specialized areas.
His pretentious talk on quantum physics irritated all the actual scientists in the room.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Awareness
In art and literature discussions, being called pretentious suggests a lack of authenticity or genuine understanding.
The critic's pretentious analysis was completely missing the artist's true message.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Tone
The term 'pretentious' often carries a negative judgment, implying disapproval of someone's attitude.
People avoided him at parties due to his pretentious demeanor.
Pro Tip 1/3Overstated Knowledge
Pretentious implies someone exaggerates their understanding or importance, often in specialized areas.
His pretentious talk on quantum physics irritated all the actual scientists in the room.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Awareness
In art and literature discussions, being called pretentious suggests a lack of authenticity or genuine understanding.
The critic's pretentious analysis was completely missing the artist's true message.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Tone
The term 'pretentious' often carries a negative judgment, implying disapproval of someone's attitude.
People avoided him at parties due to his pretentious demeanor.
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Video examples
The day I turned down...
told me about his proposed system called the World Wide Web and I thought well that's kind of pretentious name it's basically the whole system ran out his computer in his office but he was completely convinced that his world wide web would take over the world one day and I tried to persuade me to write the browser for it because his system didn't
Video examples
4 ways to make a city...
So today I want to talk about how to do it. In a lot of time thinking about this, I've come up with what I call the general theory of walkability. A bit of a pretentious term, it's a little tongue-in-cheek, but it's something I've thought about for a long time, and I'd like to share what I think I've figured out.
Video examples
This Man’s Words Will...
a raid in unpretentious glory I'm afraid open to greens brain the lowest blade belts bring again to keep their blessings on another
Video examples
The day I turned down...
told me about his proposed system called the World Wide Web and I thought well that's kind of pretentious name it's basically the whole system ran out his computer in his office but he was completely convinced that his world wide web would take over the world one day and I tried to persuade me to write the browser for it because his system didn't
Video examples
4 ways to make a city...
So today I want to talk about how to do it. In a lot of time thinking about this, I've come up with what I call the general theory of walkability. A bit of a pretentious term, it's a little tongue-in-cheek, but it's something I've thought about for a long time, and I'd like to share what I think I've figured out.
Video examples
This Man’s Words Will...
a raid in unpretentious glory I'm afraid open to greens brain the lowest blade belts bring again to keep their blessings on another
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Jonah Hill
American Actor
I've learned through experience of playing different characters, some of whom were jerks, that when you play a character who is pretentious or obnoxious, in any way, it's important to knock them down a peg.
Quote examples
Nadiya Hussain
British Chef
What's happened to society is we've become really pretentious. But there was a time in my life where I really had to choose between boiling potatoes and paying my gas bill, so I'd buy a can of potatoes.
Quote examples
Kim Kardashian
American Celebrity
I'm not trying to influence anyone else; I'm not saying, 'Do what I do.' I think it's a little pretentious to say, 'I'm a role model'; I would never say that, and I don't think of myself that way.
Quote examples
Horton Foote
American Playwright
Early on, I said to myself that I would like to write a kind of moral and spiritual history of a place. It sounds a little pretentious, I know. But that's really what I set for myself.
Quote examples
Jane Green
English Author
I'd like to think I'm not quite so pretentious as to think my characters go off and live their lives once I've written the final page and switched the computer off.
Quote examples
Princess Nokia
American Musician
Sometimes people think that I'm maybe pretentious or just weird, a fraud, or fake, because I have a formal education and speak properly and give people respect.
Quote examples
Georg Baselitz
German Artist
I don't like things that can be reproduced. Wood isn't important in itself but rather in the fact that objects made in it are unique, simple, unpretentious.
Quote examples
Kerris Dorsey
American Actress
I listen to music because that's such a huge part of my process; not to sound super pretentious, but that's a big part of what helps me get in character.
Quote examples
Yoko Ono
American Artist
I think energy is the most important thing that we can give to people as performers. Anything else is a little bit pretentious. But energy is not.
Quote examples
Nick Robinson
British Journalist
A worldly actor is a better actor. It sounds pretentious, but I think having these experiences can translate back into your work.
Quote examples
Jonah Hill
American Actor
I've learned through experience of playing different characters, some of whom were jerks, that when you play a character who is pretentious or obnoxious, in any way, it's important to knock them down a peg.
Quote examples
Nadiya Hussain
British Chef
What's happened to society is we've become really pretentious. But there was a time in my life where I really had to choose between boiling potatoes and paying my gas bill, so I'd buy a can of potatoes.
Quote examples
Kim Kardashian
American Celebrity
I'm not trying to influence anyone else; I'm not saying, 'Do what I do.' I think it's a little pretentious to say, 'I'm a role model'; I would never say that, and I don't think of myself that way.
Quote examples
Horton Foote
American Playwright
Early on, I said to myself that I would like to write a kind of moral and spiritual history of a place. It sounds a little pretentious, I know. But that's really what I set for myself.
Quote examples
Jane Green
English Author
I'd like to think I'm not quite so pretentious as to think my characters go off and live their lives once I've written the final page and switched the computer off.
Quote examples
Princess Nokia
American Musician
Sometimes people think that I'm maybe pretentious or just weird, a fraud, or fake, because I have a formal education and speak properly and give people respect.
Quote examples
Georg Baselitz
German Artist
I don't like things that can be reproduced. Wood isn't important in itself but rather in the fact that objects made in it are unique, simple, unpretentious.
Quote examples
Kerris Dorsey
American Actress
I listen to music because that's such a huge part of my process; not to sound super pretentious, but that's a big part of what helps me get in character.
Quote examples
Yoko Ono
American Artist
I think energy is the most important thing that we can give to people as performers. Anything else is a little bit pretentious. But energy is not.
Quote examples
Nick Robinson
British Journalist
A worldly actor is a better actor. It sounds pretentious, but I think having these experiences can translate back into your work.
Example 1 of 10
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