Thesaurus:pretentious

Thesaurus

pretentious

English

Adjective

Sense: simulated in order to impress

Synonyms

• affected
• effete
• fey
• hoity-toity
• overrefined
• pansified (derogatory)
• precious (derogatory)
• pretentious
• smug (obsolete)
• stagy
• stilted (figuratively)
• theatrical
• Woosterian

Antonyms

• demure
• formal
• humble    [⇒ thesaurus]
• modest
• natural
• priggish
• prim
• prudish
• puritanical
• Quakerish
• unpretentious

Hyponyms

• ad captandum
• artsy-craftsy (often derogatory)
• cutesy-wootsy (mildly derogatory)
• literose
• mannered
• mincing
• minsitive (obsolete)
• pedantic
• pompous
• pseudoclassical
• sanctimonious

Hypernyms

• artificial
• canting
• foppish    [⇒ thesaurus]
• insincere
• overdone
• showy
• vain    [⇒ thesaurus]

Various

• fastidious    [⇒ thesaurus]
• gaudy    [⇒ thesaurus]
• simpering

Further reading

• “855. affectation” in Roget's Thesaurus, T. Y. Crowell Co., 1911.
• “pretentious” in Moby Thesaurus II, Grady Ward, 1996.