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WOTD  
Word of the Day - for Toastmasters everywhere
Friday 17th November 2023
Archive | Previous word | Today's word | Next word

pretentious (adjective) pre-TEN-shus



Showy, ostentatious, self-important, grandiose; acting as though one were more important than is the case.

He does veer towards pseuds corner more than the long-time Who drummer when he says: "My soul moves to quite fine changes in tempo" but he is self-deprecating and recognises the fact that he played "pretentious rock with too many notes".

Jane Martinson, Guardian, 16 March 2007. Guardian

He is pitched against Bates's enemies, including the taxman whom he encourages one daughter to seduce in The Darling Buds of May, the pretentious new rich, the graspingness of the French, never idealised as the intelligentsia preferred (A Breath of French Air), finally the future EU, Channel Tunnel, and M20.

Peter J Conradi, Guardian, 3 February 2007 Guardian

From the opening in Anna Pavlovna's pretentious drawing room, I fell under the spell of the gentle and seductive elegance of Jason's voice.

Rachel Redford, The Observer, 17 December 2006, Observer reviewing the audio book recording of
Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace: Volumes 1 & 2, read by Neville Jason. Amazon (vol. 1) Amazon (vol. 2)

A curved staircase, clad in pretentious tigerwood with brushed stainless steel handrails, looks imported from a Park Avenue office building.

Nicolai Ouroussoff, The New York Times, 22 March 2007. New York Times




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