The strain of his pretension is just too much to bear.
Source: tatoeba (8312024)
Pretension
Synonyms for "pretension" (204 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (41)
Strong matches (61)
cover storycover upcover-updeceptiondelusiondemanddevicedisguisedisplaydissemblancedissemblingdissimulationdivine rightdroitdueexcusefacadefacefacultyfakery
Show 36 more words
fakingfalse airfalse frontfalse showfalsityfeigned belieffeigningfeintflashinessflatulenceflatulencyfour-flushingfraudfrontfulsomenessgarishnessgaudinessgiltglossgrandiloquencegrandiosenessgrandiosityguisehandlehigh-flown dictionhumbughumbuggeryhypocrisyimageimpostureinalienable rightinflatednessinflationinsincerityinterestlame excuse
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (102)
lexiphanicismlocus standiloftinesslofty affectationsluridnessmagniloquencemake believemake-believemannerismmaskmasquerademere rhetoricmere showmeretriciousnessnatural rightorotundityostensible motiveostentostentationostentatious complexity
Show 78 more words
ostentatiousnessoutward showpageantplatitudinous ponderosityplayactingpolysyllabic profunditypompositypompous prolixitypompousnesspontificationpoor excuseposeposingposturepowerprerogativeprescriptionpresumptive rightpretendingpretensepretensionspretentiousnesspretextproper claimproperty rightprose run madprotestationprunes and prismspublic imagepublic motiveput offput onput-offput-onputting on airsrefugerepresentationrhetoricrhetoricalnessrightscreenseemingsemblancesensationalismsententiousnessshamshowshowinesssidesimulacrumsimulationsmoke screensnobberyspeciousnessstalking horsestalking-horsestiltednessstratagemstylishnesssubterfugeswelling utteranceswollen phraseswollennesstall talktitletortuositytortuousnesstricktumiditytumidnessturgescenceturgidityunnaturalnessvarnishveilvested interestvested rightwindow dressing
Noun(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: pretentiousness, acting, affectation, affectations, affectedness.
- Sentence evidence is available for pretension, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, 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 "pretension".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pretension"
Keep "pretension" 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 "pretension" 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 "pretension", 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 "pretension" 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
6 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesacademic pretensionartistic pretensionintellectual pretensionmoral pretensionostentatious pretensionsocial pretension
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
Art isn't the pretension of perfection.
Source: tatoeba (12258349)
As a foreign stamp gazette it is nowhere. An article on Stamp Collecting, by J. E. Gray, “reprinted from one of his books,” and a catalogue of stamps constitute its sole attraction. We are surprised to find such sounding pretentions so poorly supported.
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pretension"?
Closest matches include pretentiousness, acting, affectation, affectations, affectedness.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pretension"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.