unpretentious

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌʌn.prɪˈten.ʃəs/ UK /ˌʌn.prɪˈten.ʃəs/ See IPA manual

Freq #64090

Meanings

1

adj
not trying to appear more important, cultured, or impressive than one really is; modest and sincere

Despite her fame, the scientist remained warm and unpretentious.
2

adj
simple, restrained, or informal in style rather than showy or grand

They chose an unpretentious cafe known for excellent regional food.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not trying to appear more... modest unassuming unaffecteddown-to-earth

2 adj · simple, restrained, or... plain simple understated unostentatious

More unpretending

Opposites

pretentious ostentatious showy affected grandiose

Word family

Forms unpretending

Derived forms unpretentiouslyunpretentiousness

Related forms pretend pretension pretentiousunpretending

Etymology

Formed from un- + pretentious. Pretentious developed from pretension and ultimately Latin praetendere ("stretch or put forward; claim"). Unpretentious rejects that sense of making an inflated claim; the older unpretending expresses the same modest, unaffected quality.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# unpretentious

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌʌn.prɪˈten.ʃəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌʌn.prɪˈten.ʃəs/
**Frequency rank:** 64090

## Meanings
1. not trying to appear more important, cultured, or impressive than one really is; modest and sincere
2. simple, restrained, or informal in style rather than showy or grand

## Examples
- Despite her fame, the scientist remained warm and unpretentious.
- They chose an unpretentious cafe known for excellent regional food.

## Synonyms
- modest
- unassuming
- unaffected
- down-to-earth
- plain
- simple
- understated
- unostentatious
- unpretending

## Antonyms
- pretentious
- ostentatious
- showy
- affected
- grandiose

## Derived Forms
- unpretentiously
- unpretentiousness

## Related Forms
- pretend
- pretension
- pretentious
- unpretending

## Etymology
Formed from un- + pretentious. Pretentious developed from pretension and ultimately Latin praetendere ("stretch or put forward; claim"). Unpretentious rejects that sense of making an inflated claim; the older unpretending expresses the same modest, unaffected quality.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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