ostentatious

Advancedzipf 2.68

Pronunciation

/ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəs/(os-ten-TAY-shus)

Part of speech

adjectiveneutral

Chinese

炫耀的；铺张的；卖弄的

Definition

Designed to attract attention or impress; showy in a way that is disapproved of.

Word family

  • ostentatiously/ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəsli/(adv)炫耀地
  • ostentation/ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃən/(n)炫耀

Collocations

  • ostentatious display
  • ostentatious wealth
  • ostentatious lifestyle
  • ostentatiously dressed

Examples

  1. 1.His ostentatious display of wealth made his colleagues uncomfortable. (showy, boastful)
  2. 2.The mansion was criticized as ostentatious and tasteless. (excessively lavish)

Synonyms

  • showy/ˈʃəʊi/— eye-catching, often negative
  • flamboyant/flæmˈbɔɪənt/— bold and colorful, can be positive
  • pretentious/prɪˈtɛnʃəs/— trying to seem more important than one is

Etymology

from Latin "ostentare" = to display — showing off on purpose