Aggrandize
(uh-gran-dahyz) (Verb) Meaning: To increase the power, status, or wealth of something or someone; to make greater in appearance. Usage: 1. The king sought to ______ his realm by acquiring…
Affectation
(af-ek-tey-shuhn) (Noun) Meaning: Artificiality or pretension; an effort to appear to have qualities not really or fully possessed. Usage: 1. Her accent is an ______; she grew up in this…
Aestheticism
(es-thet-uh-siz-uhm) (Noun) Meaning: A philosophy that regards beauty as the principle from which all other values derive. Usage: 1. His lifestyle was a true reflection of ______, valuing beauty above…