ENGLISH
REFERENCE

put on airs

idiom
Meaning

To become haughty, to assume a pretentious manner.


Examples
SIMPLE

He puts on airs whenever he talks to his new rich friends.

CONTEXTUAL

She started putting on airs after her promotion, acting as if she were better than her old colleagues.

COMPLEX

Despite his humble beginnings, he began to put on airs, adopting an affected accent and distancing himself from the community that raised him.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    give oneself airs

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

  2. 02

    not to put too fine a point on it

    Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making; to put it bluntly; to express it in plain terms.

  3. 03

    put a band-aid on a bullet wound

    To inadequately treat a serious situation.

  4. 04

    put a blanket over

    Make (something) seem less serious.

  5. 05

    put a bug in someone's ear

    To make a small suggestion or give a hint that causes the listener to act.

  6. 06

    put a damper on

    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

  7. 07

    put a foot wrong

    To make a mistake.

  8. 08

    put a gun to someone's head

    To compel someone (to do something); to create a situation in which someone has no alternative course of action.

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