What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pretentious
Example
He always talks about his expensive clothes and fancy vacations, but it's just pretentious. [pretentious: adjective]
Example
She used big words she didn't understand just to sound smart, which was very pretentious. [pretentious: adjective]
grandiose
Example
The CEO's grandiose plans for expansion were unrealistic and doomed to fail. [grandiose: adjective]
Example
He made a grandiose entrance at the party, wearing a flashy suit and carrying a cane. [grandiose: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pretentious is more commonly used than grandiose in everyday language. Pretentious is often used to describe people or things that try too hard to appear sophisticated or important, while grandiose is more specific and usually used to describe plans, ideas, or ambitions that are unrealistic or overly ambitious.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between pretentious and grandiose?
Both pretentious and grandiose are negative words that are typically used in informal contexts. However, grandiose may be used in more formal settings to describe unrealistic or overly ambitious plans or proposals.
