Pretentiousness can develop from a genuine belief that one is better than someone else, or a sense of insecurity. Pretentiousness may persist because pretentious people take satisfaction in pulling genuine-minded people into their pattern.
There is more than one reason. Some pretentious people really do believe they are better than others and want that widely known. At other times, the sort of condescension that characterizes the pretentious masks hidden insecurities, impostor syndrome, or the fear one would be perceived as too plain and ordinary.
If you say that someone or something is pretentious, you mean that they try to seem important or significant, but you do not think that they are. [disapproval] His response was full of pretentious nonsense. Synonyms: affected, mannered, exaggerated, pompous More Synonyms of 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.
Personality disorders: Pretentious, self-important behavior can be a symptom of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Most pretentious people don't have a personality disorder, but if you'd like to learn more about NPD, check out the Mayo Clinic's guide.
The words ostentatious and showy are common synonyms of pretentious. While all three words mean "given to excessive outward display," pretentious implies an appearance of importance not justified by the thing's value or the person's standing.
A middle-class person who buys the same expensive new car is pretentious. A pretentious person is pretending to have or be something or someone he or she is not. An ostentatious person is flaunting who he or she is and/or what they have.
He's a pretentious snob. The houses in the neighborhood are large and pretentious. He uses pretentious language.
POMPOUS. As you'd expect, this synonym for 'pretentious' is from the word pomp, meaning a splendid display (from the French, ultimately from Latin). If you're pompous, you're full of exaggerated self-importance.
A pretentious person is pretending (same etymology) to be something or someone he or she is not. An ostentatious person, on the other hand, delights in flaunting who he or she is and/or what they have.
: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature. pretentious language.
adjective. characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others: an ostentatious dresser. (of actions, manner, qualities exhibited, etc.) intended to attract notice: Lady Bountiful's ostentatious charity.
Pretentiousness is acting like you know more than you really do, or like you're more important than you really are. If your friends complain about your pretentiousness, you might want to tone down the bragging a little bit.
The adjective unpretentious is perfect for describing someone you know who's modest and natural and never tries to impress other people. Pretentious comes from the Latin word meaning "pretend," prætensus, so when you're unpretentious, you see no reason to pretend.
Opposite of intended to impress in a showy manner. modest. humble. unassuming. unpretentious.
One of the most common words to describe someone who thinks they are better than someone else is arrogant. Another very common word to describe such a person is proud. I can't stand how arrogant he is! Don't be too proud to admit you're wrong. The opposite of arrogant is humble.
Definitions of narcissistic. adjective. characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance. synonyms: egotistic, egotistical, self-loving selfish. concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others.
On this page you'll find 45 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to self-important, such as: arrogant, egotistical, pompous, bigheaded, big shot, and cocky.
Pretentious means 'attempt to impress' the opposite being humble meaning 'respectful'.
Performative kindness (aka insincerity)
They don't mean the same thing at all—they just have the same Latin root (praetendere). “Pretentious” essentially means “arrogant,” and “pretend” means “imagine” or falsely represent something as being true.
Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is a mental health condition marked by a pattern of distrust and suspicion of others without adequate reason to be suspicious. People with PPD are always on guard, believing that others are constantly trying to demean, harm or threaten them.