Pretentious vs Pretext - What's the difference?
pretentious | pretext |
Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
Ostentatious; intended to impress others.
A false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=May 27
, author=Nathan Rabin
, title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)
, work=The Onion AV Club
To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.
As an adjective pretentious
is marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.As a noun pretext is
a false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.As a verb pretext is
to employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.pretentious
English
Alternative forms
*Adjective
(en adjective)- Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.
- Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.
Synonyms
* poseur * See alsoAntonyms
* unpretentiousDerived terms
* pretentiously * pretentiousnessReferences
pretext
English
Noun
(en noun)- The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
citation, page= , passage=When that metaphor proves untenable, he switches to insisting that women are like beer but that’s mainly as a pretext to drink until he passes out in a father-son bonding haze.}}
Synonyms
* See alsoVerb
(Pretexting) (en verb)- The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.