pretentiously
/pɹɪˈtɛnʃəsliː/adverb
pretentiously is spelled P-R-E-T-E-N-T-I-O-U-S-L-Y: 13 letters. It appears about once in every 22 million words in written English, the 141,699th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adverb, pretentiously means “In a manner with unwarranted claim to importance or distinction” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in pretentiously?
| Letters | 13: P-R-E-T-E-N-T-I-O-U-S-L-Y |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 22 million words; the 141,699th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is pretentiously?
Pretentiously appears about once in every 22 million words in written English, the 141,699th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce pretentiously?
- UK /pɹɪˈtɛnʃəsliː/
- UK /pɹəˈtɛnʃəsliː/
- US /pɹɪˈtɛnʃəsliː/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forms of pretentiously
- more pretentiously comparative
- most pretentiously superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does pretentiously mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adverb
- 1
In a manner with unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
- 2
Ostentatiously; in a manner intended to impress others.
- 3
In a manner demanding of skill or daring.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Pretentiously in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense in a manner with unwarranted claim to importance or distinction:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | prétentieusement |
| Portuguese | pretensiosamente |
| Spanish | pretenciosamente |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does pretentiously come from?
From pretentious + -ly.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).