The Lord Keeper only received society out of policy or ostentation, and was by nature rather reserved and unsociable.
Source: tatoeba (7752223)
Ostentation
/ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/
Synonyms for "ostentation" (238 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (48)
Strong matches (71)
expositionexposurefacadefacefakeryfakingfalse airfalse frontfalse showfalsityfancinessfeigningfeintfinenessflagranceflagrancyflamboyanceflashinessflatulenceflatulency
Show 31 more words
Noun(19 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (119)
Noun(37 words)
macrologiesopulenceostentatiousnesspageantpageantryparadeparadesparadingpizazzpompositypranceprancingpretensionspretentiousnesspronkpuffinessrazzleshowshowboatshowboating
Show 17 more words
showiness in designshowmanshipshowoffshowoffsshowy actsplashinessstruttingswaggerswaggeringswankswanksswashtusheryvanityvauntvauntingvaunts
magniloquencemasquerademere rhetoricmeretriciousnessmoresquenoticeabilitynotorietynotoriousnessobtrusivenessopeningorotundityostentatious complexityoutstandingnessoutward showoverelaboratenessovereleganceoverornamentationparadeperformanceplatitudinous ponderosity
Show 61 more words
playactingpolysyllabic profunditypompositypompous prolixitypompousnesspontificationposeposingposturepresentationpresentmentpretencepretensepretensionpretentiousnesspretextproductionprojectionprominencepronouncednessprose run madrepresentationretrospectiverhetoricrhetoricalnessrichnessrococosaliencesaliencyseemingsemblancesensationalismsententiousnessshamshowshowinessshowingsimulacrumsimulationspeciousnessstiltednessstrikingnessstrong reliefswaggerswelling utteranceswollen phraseswollennesstall talktortuositytortuousnesstumiditytumidnessturgescenceturgidityunfoldingunfoldmentunveilingvarnishvarnishing dayvernissagewindow dressing
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: pomp, pompousness, showiness, acting, affectation.
- Sentence evidence is available for ostentation, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, wordnet, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "ostentation".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ostentation"
Keep "ostentation" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "ostentation" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "ostentation", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "ostentation" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
5 entriesgrand ostentationostentation in publicostentation of wealthreligious ostentationsocial ostentation
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
In English, a group of peacocks can be called "an ostentation of peacocks"!
Source: tatoeba (11514280)
Tom did it all with characteristic ostentation.
Source: tatoeba (12338118)
Sir Henry had consumed his substance in ostentation and riotous hospitality—had fed many at his board, made many merry in his halls, but not a friend was in his house of mourning; the very retainers who had grown rich upon his ruin, seemed to deem the burial of their master but a signal for carousing and license.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ostentation"?
Closest matches include pomp, pompousness, showiness, acting, affectation.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ostentation"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.