Looking for synonyms for pretentious? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say pretentious.
- Ostentatious
- Showy
- Pompous
- Flamboyant
- Overblown
- Grandiose
- Affected
- Snobbish
- Conceited
- Self-important
- Arrogant
- Haughty
- Overambitious
- Exaggerated
- Flaunting
- Overdone
- Highfalutin
- Puffed-up
- Swanky
- Bombastic
Want to learn how to say pretentious professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Ostentatious
Appropriate use: Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress.
Example: “The ostentatious presentation was more about flashy graphics than substance.”
2. Showy
Appropriate use: Making a great or too great an impression.
Example: “Their showy marketing tactics didn’t resonate with the more conservative audience.”
3. Pompous
Appropriate use: Affectedly grand, solemn, or self-important.
Example: “The CEO’s pompous speech failed to connect with the company’s grassroots workforce.”
4. Flamboyant
Appropriate use: Tending to attract attention because of confidence and stylishness.
Example: “His flamboyant style of leadership was a topic of much discussion in the industry.”
5. Overblown
Appropriate use: Excessively inflated or pretentious.
Example: “The project’s goals were overblown and not realistically achievable.”
6. Grandiose
Appropriate use: Pretentious or extravagant in scale or intention.
Example: “Their grandiose plans for expansion overlooked practical limitations.”
7. Affected
Appropriate use: Behaving in an artificial way to impress others.
Example: “Her affected manner of speaking did not impress the seasoned investors.”
8. Snobbish
Appropriate use: Showing disdain or contempt for others considered to be of a lower social status.
Example: “His snobbish dismissal of the feedback was a source of frustration for the team.”
9. Conceited
Appropriate use: Excessively proud of oneself.
Example: “The conceited manager underestimated the complexity of the project.”
10. Self-important
Appropriate use: Having an exaggerated sense of one’s own value or importance.
Example: “The self-important consultant made little effort to understand the team’s views.”
11. Arrogant
Appropriate use: Overbearingly assuming; insolently proud.
Example: “The arrogant approach taken by the new director alienated several key staff.”
12. Haughty
Appropriate use: Arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Example: “His haughty demeanor in meetings often stifled open discussion.”
13. Overambitious
Appropriate use: Excessively ambitious; trying to achieve too much.
Example: “The overambitious scope of the project set unrealistic expectations.”
14. Exaggerated
Appropriate use: Represented as greater than is true or reasonable.
Example: “The exaggerated claims about the product’s capabilities led to customer dissatisfaction.”
15. Flaunting
Appropriate use: Displaying (something) ostentatiously.
Example: “Flaunting their success, the company overlooked emerging competitive threats.”
16. Overdone
Appropriate use: Excessive or exaggerated.
Example: “The overdone promotional event did not seem authentic to the company’s values.”
17. Highfalutin
Appropriate use: Pompous or pretentious.
Example: “His highfalutin talk about the business didn’t cover up the lack of a clear plan.”
18. Puffed-up
Appropriate use: Excessively proud or self-assured; arrogant.
Example: “The puffed-up CEO rarely acknowledged the contributions of his staff.”
19. Swanky
Appropriate use: Stylishly luxurious and expensive in a way that is intended to impress.
Example: “The swanky corporate headquarters contrasted sharply with the company’s modest beginnings.”
20. Bombastic
Appropriate use: High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.
Example: “His bombastic claims about the company’s future were met with skepticism.”
