What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Pretentious vs Meretricious - What's the difference?

pretentious | meretricious |

As adjectives the difference between pretentious and meretricious

is that pretentious is marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction while meretricious is (obsolete) of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.

pretentious

English

Alternative forms

*

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
  • Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.
  • Ostentatious; intended to impress others.
  • Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.

    Synonyms

    * poseur * See also

    Antonyms

    * unpretentious

    Derived terms

    * pretentiously * pretentiousness

    References

    * * *

    meretricious

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.
  • Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
  • * , chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.}}
  • * 2006 , (Clive James), North Face of Soho , Picador 2007, p. 164:
  • When I lifted my eyes from the page, there was none of the meretricious argument London always offers that the sole real purpose in life is to hustle for a buck.

    Synonyms

    * (tastelessly showy) brassy, cheap, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, tacky, tatty, tawdry, trashy