ostentatious
showing one's wealth or power
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
A 2004 law in France banned head scarves and other "OSTENTATIOUS" religious symbols in public schools.
(Associated Press)
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Wealthy Germans are responding skeptically to this effort, with one German asset manager contacted by Gates saying that many of the country's super-rich have already transferred more than half of their wealth to charity and consider the "Giving Pledge" campaign too OSTENTATIOUS.
(USA Today)
(Associated Press)
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Wealthy Germans are responding skeptically to this effort, with one German asset manager contacted by Gates saying that many of the country's super-rich have already transferred more than half of their wealth to charity and consider the "Giving Pledge" campaign too OSTENTATIOUS.
(USA Today)
Did you
know?
ostentatious
adjective
- too obviously showing your money, possessions or power, in an attempt to make other people notice and admire you
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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People and things described as ostentatious seem to have put themselves on display; they are practically begging to be looked at. The word is not a compliment.
Ostentatious is often applied to buildings that can also be described as luxurious—mansions, fancy high-rises, huge houses with marble columns. Sometimes the description appears in the negative, as when we're told that a house is large, but not ostentatious, which means that it's large but not in a way that calls attention to itself. When the word is applied to objects like clothes and jewelry, the idea is the same: such items attract attention for the luxury they imply.
People who are described as ostentatious, or who have lifestyles described as such—typically are seen as spending money in a way that makes it clear that they have a lot of it.
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SYNONYMS
boastful, conspicuous, extravagant, flashy, showy, vain
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"ostentatious behaviour is seldom appreciated"
adjective
- too obviously showing your money, possessions or power, in an attempt to make other people notice and admire you
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
People and things described as ostentatious seem to have put themselves on display; they are practically begging to be looked at. The word is not a compliment.
Ostentatious is often applied to buildings that can also be described as luxurious—mansions, fancy high-rises, huge houses with marble columns. Sometimes the description appears in the negative, as when we're told that a house is large, but not ostentatious, which means that it's large but not in a way that calls attention to itself. When the word is applied to objects like clothes and jewelry, the idea is the same: such items attract attention for the luxury they imply.
People who are described as ostentatious, or who have lifestyles described as such—typically are seen as spending money in a way that makes it clear that they have a lot of it.
---
SYNONYMS
boastful, conspicuous, extravagant, flashy, showy, vain
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"ostentatious behaviour is seldom appreciated"
