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 Overweening - What's the difference?

pretentious | overweening |

As adjectives the difference between pretentious and overweening

is that pretentious is marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction while overweening is unduly confident; arrogant; presumptuous; conceited.

As a noun overweening is

an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's abilities; presumption, arrogance.

As a verb overweening is

.

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

    Related terms

    * pretend * pretender * pretense * pretension

    References

    * * *

    overweening

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Unduly confident; arrogant; presumptuous; conceited.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Here's an overweening rogue.
    She wins one modeling contest in Montana and suddenly she's overweening .
  • *1870 ,
  • *:No success rendered him overweening and no disaster was ever known to stagger his firmness.
  • *1908 , Frederic Bancroft and William A. Dunning,
  • *:The Senate was displaying an overweening hauteur as if it were the government.
  • Exaggerated, excessive
  • * {{quote-web
    • , date=20150104 , year= , first= , last= , author=Jonathan Rauch , authorlink= , title=How to Make Men Free , site=NY Times citation , archiveorg= , accessdate=21050215 , passage=The idea that an overweening federal government is a threat to both freedom and equality (not to mention prosperity) goes back to Jefferson, James Madison, Patrick Henry and some other fairly respectable personages. }}

    Derived terms

    * overweeningly * overweeningness

    Noun

    (-)
  • An excessively high opinion of oneself or one's abilities; presumption, arrogance.
  • *, II.12:
  • *:Let us suppresse this over-weening .

    • Verb

    (head)