What does pretentious mean in a sentence?

: trying to appear better or more important than is really the case a pretentious snob.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


What is an example of pretentious?

The definition of pretentious is someone or something that claims to be very important or grand. An example of pretentious is someone saying they deserve a table in a crowded restaurant because of who they are. Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on yourdictionary.com


What does it mean to call someone pretentious?

adjective. characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved: a pretentious, self-important waiter. making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious. full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.com


Is pretentious an insult?

On the one hand, it's a real shame because “pretentious” is a fantastically declarative-sounding insult, and unlike other teen favorites such “poseur”, it still packs a punch when adults hear it directed at them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on justincolletti.com


What is a good sentence for pretentious?

His writing style is unnecessarily pretentious . I don't appreciate your pretentious attitude! I had a hard time agreeing with her pretentious point of view. Although he makes much more money than his peers, he does his best to avoid acting pretentious .
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sentence.yourdictionary.com


? Pretentious Meaning - Pretentious Examples - Pretentious Defined - Vocabulary Builder -ESL English



What makes a person pretentious?

Pretentiousness grows out of an awareness the social self, or the version of oneself that exists in the eyes of others. Pretentiousness can develop from a genuine belief that one is better than someone else, or a sense of insecurity.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on psychologytoday.com


How can I be pretentious?

How to: Be pretentious
  1. You hang with a group that is on a slightly less intellectual level than you. ...
  2. You choose to exploit your pretentiousness in a public setting. ...
  3. You use words that people don't understand. ...
  4. You watch complex films, or not so complex ones, and then judge people who do not understand them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on vtcynic.com


Is it wrong to be pretentious?

Being pretentious is a bad idea for several reasons: it alienates people, it suggests you're smarter than perhaps you actually are, and it invites unfriendly scrutiny. Moreover, it's just irritating, ipso facto.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usu.edu


What is pretentious speech?

Alternatively, pretentious and lengthy speech or writing – what we also call 'a load of hot air' – can be described as longiloquent, or long-winded. The word comes from the Latin meaning 'long-speaking'. ALTILOQUENT. Similarly, if someone is 'altiloquent', they're speaking pompously or in a high-flown manner.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on interestingliterature.com


What do you call a person who is a know-it-all?

Definitions of know-it-all. someone who thinks he knows everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others. synonyms: know-all. type of: egoist, egotist, swellhead. a conceited and self-centered person.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on vocabulary.com


How do you deal with a pretentious person?

How To Handle Pretentious Intellectuals
  1. Step 1: Don't pretend to know more than you do. ...
  2. Step 2: Say: “that's very interesting, could you please tell me more, in as much detail as humanly possible” ...
  3. Step 3: Remember that these people can't help themselves. ...
  4. Step 4: Find peace in that they know way less than they let on.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on gq.com.au


What do you call a person that uses big words to sound smart?

Sesquipedalian can also be used to describe someone or something that overuses big words, like a philosophy professor or a chemistry textbook. If someone gives a sesquipedalian speech, people often assume it was smart, even if they don't really know what it was about because they can't understand the words.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on vocabulary.com


Whats a word for someone who thinks they're better than everyone else?

conceited. someone who is conceited behaves in a way that shows they think they are very intelligent, skillful, or attractive. This word shows that you do not like people like this.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on macmillandictionary.com


How do you know someone is pretentious?

Here a few signs that someone is pretentious:
  1. They believe that liking obscure hobbies or having eccentric interests makes them smart or special. ...
  2. They use long words or jargon because they think it makes them look intelligent or cultured.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on socialself.com


Why are some people ostentatious?

People who are described as ostentatious—or who have lifestyles described as such—typically are seen as spending money in a way that makes it clear that they have a lot of it. Their consumption may also be described with the word, in which case the emphasis is on the impressive things they buy.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


Is pretentious overused?

As the title suggests, in my opinion there is no word more overused, misused, or used in bad faith within film criticism than "pretentious." Far too often, it is used as a dismissal of a film that just does something that rubs the reviewer the wrong way.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on reddit.com


How do I stop sounding pretentious?

Here are 12 phrases to avoid that will save you from sounding pompous:
  1. Not to mention… Okay, then don't mention it.
  2. It goes without saying… ...
  3. If I may say so… ...
  4. I believe that… Now the reader wonders if your message is based in facts.
  5. In my humble opinion… ...
  6. To tell the truth… ...
  7. To be honest with you… ...
  8. For the record…
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on barbaramcnichol.com


How can I stop smug?

The keys to avoiding smugness lie in not feeling superior to others. It's fine to feel pleased with yourself when you set a course that you think will lead to good things, stick to your plan, and find yourself better off.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wisebread.com


What is a pretentious hipster?

Members of the subculture typically do not self-identify as hipsters, and the word hipster is often used as a pejorative for someone who is pretentious or overly concerned with appearing trendy.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


What do you call a person who thinks he is always right?

Self-righteous is a word for someone who thinks they are always right.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on oneminuteenglish.org


What do you call a person who always wants to be right?

There are many words to describe someone who always needs to be right, including indomitable, adamant, unrelenting, insistent, intransigent, obdurate, unshakeable, dictatorial.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on english.stackexchange.com


What do you call someone who only does things to benefit themselves?

selfish Add to list Share. Someone who is selfish cares only about themselves and doesn't consider others.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on vocabulary.com


What is the rarest word in English?

1. Serendipity. This word appears in numerous lists of untranslatable words and is a mystery mostly for non native speakers of English.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on culturesconnection.com


What is a loquacious person?

Definition of loquacious

1 : full of excessive talk : wordy. 2 : given to fluent or excessive talk : garrulous.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com
Previous question
Is Wanda a nexus being?
Next question
Can fish hear you?