Is a person who often pretends to be or do what he is not, a pretentious person? Should I just use the phrase, "full of pretense"? P.S.: I'm aware that pretending is a verb and pretentious is an adjective. I just want to know if there is any semantic difference.
Hi - There are different connotations at work here—the idea of falseness, versus the idea of grandeur I'm quoting and/or paraphrasing from Websters: pretend (verb): to claim or profess falsely, to feign or simulate, or make-believe (this can be anything. You can 'pretend' to have a broken leg to avoid going to work, but that's not going to be considered pretentious) pretentious (adjective): making claims, explicit or implicit, to some distinction, importance, dignity or excellence; affectedly grand, ostentatious pretense (noun) can have either connotation, either projecting any kind of false image (like the broken leg to avoid work), or claiming grandness or ostentation pretension (noun): a pretext or allegation, a claim as to a right or title or distinction, assertation of a claim, or a pretentious act or remark
