Ostentatious — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shəs/ os·ten·ta·tious

Meaning & Definition of Ostentatious

Ostentatious (adjective)

  1. attracting or seeking to attract attention, admiration, or envy often by gaudiness or unnecessary show, overly elaborate or conspicuous

Ostentatious (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. excessively showy

    "wears an ostentatious diamond ring on his little finger"

    similar: flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank
    related: excessive, extravagant, fulsome, hammy, overdone, over-the-top, overwrought, pretentious, baroque, bedizened, ornate, fancy, snazzy, zooty, blaring, bright, florid, glaring, glittery, overbright, spectacular, graceless, inelegant, lurid, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, tinselly, vulgar
    opposite: conservative, quiet, understated, unflamboyant, unflashy
    near: appropriate, fitting, proper, inconspicuous, muted, restrained, subdued, toned (down), unobtrusive, elegant, graceful, tasteful, modest, plain, simple, unpretentious

  2. self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance

    "an ostentatious man who desperately wants to impress people with his newly acquired wealth"

    similar: affected, grandiose, high-minded, highfalutin, la-di-da, pompous, pretentious, snippy
    related: airy, grandiloquent, high-flown, high-sounding, high-toned, sententious, arrogant, bumptious, complacent, conceited, egoistic, egotistic, high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, hoity-toity, imperious, important, overweening, presumptuous, prideful, proud, self-asserting, self-assertive, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-important, self-obsessed, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, uppity, vain, vainglorious, self-aggrandizing, self-dramatizing, self-glorifying, self-promoting, cavalier, disdainful, haughty, lordly, snobbish, snobby, stuck-up, supercilious, superior, confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure, boastful, braggart, bragging, aggressive, assertive, audacious, bold, brassy, cheeky, cocky, forward, impudent, insolent, rude, flamboyant, flashy, flaunting, garish, gaudy, glitzy, showy, splashy
    opposite: modest, unpretentious
    near: demure, down-to-earth, homely, humble, lowly, meek, retiring, unassertive, unassuming, bashful, diffident, mousy, overmodest, passive, quiet, reserved, shy, timid

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ostentatious

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ostentatious:

flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank, affected, grandiose, high-minded, highfalutin, la-di-da, pompous, pretentious, snippy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ostentatious

Words with the opposite meaning of Ostentatious:

conservative, quiet, understated, unflamboyant, unflashy, modest, unpretentious

Related Words for Ostentatious

excessive, extravagant, fulsome, hammy, overdone, over-the-top, overwrought, baroque, bedizened, ornate, fancy, snazzy, zooty, blaring, bright, florid, glaring, glittery, overbright, spectacular, graceless, inelegant, lurid, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, tinselly, vulgar, airy, grandiloquent

Near Antonyms of Ostentatious

appropriate, fitting, proper, inconspicuous, muted, restrained, subdued, toned (down), unobtrusive, elegant, graceful, tasteful, plain, simple, demure, down-to-earth, homely, humble, lowly, meek, retiring, unassertive, unassuming, bashful, diffident, mousy, overmodest, passive, reserved, shy

Word Forms of Ostentatious

Derived words: ostentatiously (adverb), ostentatiousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ostentatious

ostentati(on) + -ous, after contention : contentious and like pairs

First known use: 1590

Frequently Asked Questions about Ostentatious

What does "Ostentatious" mean?

"Ostentatious" means attracting or seeking to attract attention, admiration, or envy often by gaudiness or unnecessary show, overly elaborate or conspicuous. As an adjective, it is defined as: attracting or seeking to attract attention, admiration, or envy often by gaudiness or unnecessary show, overly elaborate or conspicuous. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ostentatious"?

Other words for "Ostentatious" include flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud and noisy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ostentatious" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ostentatious"?

There are 115 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ostentatious". Common alternatives include flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, razzle-dazzle and splashy.

What is the opposite of "Ostentatious"?

Antonyms of "Ostentatious" include conservative, quiet, understated, unflamboyant, unflashy, modest and unpretentious. Near antonyms include appropriate, fitting, proper and inconspicuous.

How do you use "Ostentatious" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ostentatious" in a sentence: "wears an ostentatious diamond ring on his little finger"; "an ostentatious man who desperately wants to impress people with his newly acquired wealth".

Is "Ostentatious" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ostentatious" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ostentatious"?

"Ostentatious" is pronounced /ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shəs/ and divided into syllables as os·ten·ta·tious.

What is the origin of the word "Ostentatious"?

"Ostentatious" comes from ostentati(on) + -ous, after contention : contentious and like pairs. First known use: 1590.