Word
pretentious
Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
Meanings
Trying to impress people by pretending to be more important, intelligent, or cultured than you are.
Designed or presented in a way that seems showy and overcomplicated to appear high-class or artistic.
Definition
Pretentious describes a person, style, or behavior that tries too hard to impress others. It often involves showing off knowledge, taste, or status in a way that feels exaggerated or insincere. People use it as a negative word when something seems artificial rather than genuinely high-quality.
Examples
- He sounded pretentious when he kept using rare words.
- The movie tried to be deep but came off as pretentious.
- She worried that her speech would seem pretentious.
- That gallery opening felt pretentious and unfriendly.
Common mistake
Learners often use pretentious to mean simply 'expensive' or 'fancy,' but it specifically suggests trying too hard to impress.
More at C1 level
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More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.