pretension

IPA/prɪˈtenʃn/
KK[pritˈɛnʃən]IPA/prɪˈtenʃn/

pretension — noun

  • pretensionsingular
  • pretensionsplural

1. a statement or conviction about the level of your own abilities, importance, or

1.名詞C1
釋義

a statement or conviction about the level of your own abilities, importance, or social standing, which others may view as unrealistic or unsupported

例句

Chidi makes no pretension to being a great chef — he simply enjoys cooking for friends.

negated pattern: make no pretension to

The old mansion's pretensions to elegance were betrayed by the peeling wallpaper and broken furniture.

pattern: pretensions to + noun

同義詞
  • claim

    more neutral; focuses on asserting a right to something without the questioning of validity that 'pretension' carries

  • aspiration

    more positive; focuses on a hoped-for goal rather than a debatable assertion

  • ambition

    emphasises drive and desire to achieve; does not imply that the claim is unwarranted

反義詞
  • modesty

    the quality of not claiming too much for oneself

  • humility

    a humble view of one's own importance, the opposite of asserting high standing

文法句型

pretension(s) + to + noun

pretension(s) + to + verb-ing

make no pretension(s) to + noun/verb-ing

用法筆記

Frequently appears in negated constructions such as 'make no pretension to' or 'without any pretensions', indicating a lack of claim rather than the presence of one. The plural form 'pretensions' is common even when referring to a single claim.

常見錯誤

❌He has pretension of being a writer.
✅He has pretensions to being a writer.
💡The noun is followed by 'to', not 'of', when stating what the claim relates to.
❌She made a pretension to the throne.
✅She had pretensions to the throne.
💡'Make a pretension' is not idiomatic; use 'have pretensions to' or 'make no pretension to' (negated).

2. the tendency to behave in a way that suggests you are more impressive or knowled

2.名詞B2
釋義

the tendency to behave in a way that suggests you are more impressive or knowledgeable than you genuinely are, especially by exaggerating your tastes or achievements

例句

Padma found the gallery opening full of pretension, with guests discussing art they did not understand.

uncountable noun describing social behaviour

Hiro's pretension annoyed his classmates — he always used long obscure words to sound more intelligent.

同義詞
  • pretentiousness

    identical in meaning and more direct; '-ness' suffix makes the quality more explicit

  • affectation

    focuses on artificiality in behaviour, speech, or taste; slightly narrower

  • airs

    informal; used in phrases like 'putting on airs'; suggests snobbish behaviour

  • showing off

    informal and more direct; emphasises deliberate display rather than atmosphere

反義詞
  • sincerity

    the quality of being genuine and honest about one's abilities and background

  • naturalness

    unaffected simplicity in behaviour and taste

文法句型

full of pretension

without pretension

air/aura of pretension

用法筆記

Uncountable in this sense; describes a quality of behaviour or atmosphere rather than a specific claim. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 condemns the behaviour as fake or exaggerated, while sense 1 states a claim that may or may not be valid.

常見錯誤

❌She showed many pretensions at the party.
✅She showed a lot of pretension at the party.
💡In this sense, 'pretension' is uncountable and does not take a plural form.
❌His pretension is that he knows more than everyone else.
✅His pretension annoys everyone because he acts as if he knows more than they do.
💡Confusing the countable claim sense with the uncountable behaviour sense.