give oneself airs

verb

To act pretentiously, or in a snobbish manner; to swagger.

Similar
put on airs
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Meanings

verbgive oneself airs (third-person singular simple present gives oneself airs, present participle giving oneself airs, simple past gave oneself airs, past participle given oneself airs)

present singular third person gives oneself airs · participle present giving oneself airs · past gave oneself airs · participle past given oneself airs

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo act pretentiously, or in a snobbish manner; to swagger.

    Synonyms: put on airs

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo act pretentiously, or in a snobbish manner; to swagger.

Similar
put on airs
Also see
put on airsput on frills

Translations

Ancient Greek τρυφάω
  • τρυφάω (trupháō)to act pretentiously
Finnish hienostella, herrastella
  • hienostellato act pretentiously
  • herrastellato act pretentiously
French se donner des airs, se donner un genre
  • se donner des airsto act pretentiously
  • se donner un genreto act pretentiously
Italian darsi delle arie, darsi un tono
  • darsi delle arieto act pretentiously
  • darsi un tonoto act pretentiously
  • darsi un contegnoto act pretentiously
Māori whakatamatama
  • whakatamatamato act pretentiously
Polish pysznić się, zadzierać nosa
  • pysznić sięto act pretentiously
  • zadzierać nosato act pretentiously
  • zadrzeć nosato act pretentiously
  • gwiazdorzyćto act pretentiously
  • aktorzyćto act pretentiously
Romanian a-și da aere
  • a-și da aereto act pretentiously
Russian важничать, зазнаваться
  • важничать (važničatʹ)to act pretentiously
  • зазнаваться (zaznavatʹsja)to act pretentiously
Spanish darse ínfulas, darse tono
  • darse ínfulasto act pretentiously
  • darse tonoto act pretentiously
Turkish hava atmak
  • hava atmakto act pretentiously
Cite this entry
APA

give oneself airs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20oneself%20airs

MLA

“give oneself airs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20oneself%20airs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give oneself airs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20oneself%20airs.

Source: give oneself airs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.