Pompous and Pretentious

Pompous

Pompous adjective - Having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude.
Usage example: the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor

Pretentious is a synonym for pompous in self-important topic. In some cases you can use "Pretentious" instead the word "Pompous" as an adjective or a noun, when it comes to topics like ostentatious, plain, arrogant, proud. popular alternative

Nearby Words: pomposity, pomp, pompously

Pretentious

Pretentious adjective - Self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance.
Usage example: that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it

Pompous is a synonym for pretentious in affected topic. You can use "Pompous" instead an adjective "Pretentious", if it concerns topics such as plain, snobbish, proud, overambitious. popular alternative

Cite this Source
Pretentious and Pompous. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/pompous/pretentious
Pompous & Pretentious. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/pompous/pretentious>.
Pretentious or Pompous. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/pompous/pretentious.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "pompous" and "pretentious" have occurred on timeline