pre ‧ ten ‧ sion /prɪˈtenʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable usually plural, uncountable]
1 . an attempt to seem more important, more intelligent, or of a higher class than you really are
pretension to
Lilith resented Adam’s pretensions to superiority.
the humbleness and lack of pretension of Jordan’s cafe
2 . a claim to be or do something
pretension(s) to be something
The group don’t have any pretensions to be pop stars.
pretension to
a large village with pretensions to the status of a small town