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Pretentious vs Supercilious - What's the difference?

pretentious | supercilious |

As adjectives the difference between pretentious and supercilious

is that pretentious is marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction while supercilious is arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty.

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

    * * *

    supercilious

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty.
  • * 2013 May 23, , " British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):
  • Buffeted by criticism of his policy on Europe, battered by rebellion in the ranks over his bill to legalize same-sex marriage and wounded by the perception that he is supercilious , contemptuous and out of touch with mainstream Conservatism, Mr. Cameron earlier this week took the highly unusual step of sending a mass e-mail (or, as he called it, “a personal note”) to his party’s grass-roots members.
  • *
  • Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * superciliously * superciliousness