ostentation
C1/C2Formal
Definition
Meaning
Excessive display of wealth, knowledge, or skill, intended to impress others.
Conspicuous or pretentious show designed to attract notice or admiration; display that is extravagant and often tasteless.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always carries a negative connotation of unnecessary and boastful showiness; often associated with vulgarity or lack of genuine substance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. The word is used similarly in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally negative in both varieties; associated with pretentiousness and vulgar display.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English literary and critical writing, but the difference is minimal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NOUN of ostentationADJECTIVE ostentationVERB (display/show/avoid) ostentationVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Conspicuous by its ostentation”
- “All ostentation and no substance”
- “More ostentation than sense”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically to describe a company's or executive's lavish spending on offices, events, or perks perceived as wasteful.
Academic
Used in art history, sociology, and literary criticism to discuss displays of wealth, power, or cultural capital, often in analyses of class or taste.
Everyday
Rare in casual speech. Used to criticize someone's flashy car, house, jewelry, or wedding as being tastelessly over-the-top.
Technical
Not a technical term, but can appear in architectural or design criticism to describe overly ornate, gaudy styles.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Note: The verb is 'to ostentate', but it is exceptionally rare and obsolete. The common adjective is 'ostentatious').
American English
- (Note: The verb is 'to ostentate', but it is exceptionally rare and obsolete. The common adjective is 'ostentatious').
adverb
British English
- He ostentatiously paid the bill with a large roll of banknotes, drawing stares from the other diners.
- The diamonds were ostentatiously displayed in the shop window.
American English
- She ostentatiously parked her new sports convertible right in front of the office entrance.
- The lawyer arrived ostentatiously late to the meeting.
adjective
British English
- The footballer's ostentatious lifestyle, complete with a fleet of supercars, was criticised in the press.
- She found the gilded decor of the hotel rather ostentatious.
American English
- The CEO's ostentatious mansion was a source of controversy for the company's shareholders.
- He rejected the ostentatious proposal for a gold-plated faucet in favour of a simpler design.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The millionaire's house was very big and full of gold. It was a clear display of ostentation.
- I don't like ostentation. Simple things are more beautiful.
- Critics accused the new art museum of architectural ostentation, claiming its design distracted from the art inside.
- His wealth was obvious, but he avoided ostentation by dressing simply and driving an ordinary car.
- The politician's speech was an exercise in intellectual ostentation, crammed with obscure references that added little to his argument.
- Beneath the surface ostentation of the Gilded Age ballrooms lay immense social inequality and hardship.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone 'OSTentatiously showing off their TEN gold watches'. The sound of 'ostentation' resembles 'ostentatious showing'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH/KNOWLEDGE IS A PHYSICAL DISPLAY (that can be excessive and offensive).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'остепенение' (becoming sedate). The closer Russian concept is 'показная роскошь' or 'шик'. 'Показуха' is closer to 'show-off' for deeds, not wealth. 'Остинация' is a false friend (it's not a Russian word).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'ostentacion'. Confusing it with 'ostensible' (stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so). Using it in a positive context (e.g., 'I admired the ostentation').
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is the word 'ostentation' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in modern usage, 'ostentation' almost always carries a negative connotation. It implies that the display is excessive, vulgar, and intended to boast, rather than being a genuine or tasteful expression.
'Show' is neutral; you can have a 'flower show' or 'light show'. 'Ostentation' is specifically an *excessive* and *pretentious* show, typically of wealth or status, intended to impress or envy.
The most common and useful related word is the adjective 'ostentatious'. It is used far more frequently than the noun 'ostentation' in everyday language (e.g., 'an ostentatious display', 'ostentatious jewellery').
Yes. While often linked to material wealth, it can also refer to an excessive, boastful display of knowledge, skill, or cultural sophistication, often described as 'intellectual ostentation' or 'cultural ostentation'.