airs and graces
Snobbish refined behavior
Airs and graces are pretentious or affected manners, an exaggerated display of refinement meant to impress others.
The phrase is usually disparaging, suggesting someone is putting on a show of superiority they haven't earned: She's all airs and graces since she married into money.
More common in British than American English.
- la-di-daAffectedly refined or pretentious
- haughtyDisdainfully proud
- pretentiousFalsely grand or important
- pompousAffectedly grand in manner
- snobbishCondescending toward perceived inferiors
affectedness · looking down one's nose · swanning · hoity-toity · snobbery · stuck-up · too big for one's boots · putting on · mannerisms · uppishness · posturing · high horse · high and mighty · ostentation · posh · fancy pants · social climber · self-important
airs and gracesgenuineness
Quality of being real
authenticity · naturalness · modesty · humility · unpretentiousness
airs and gracescommon touch
Rapport with ordinary people
folksiness · earthiness · plainness · simplicity · unpretentiousness
airs and graceshumility
Freedom from arrogance
modesty · humbleness · unpretentiousness · self-effacement · meekness
grace, graceful, airs, disgrace, airing, disgraceful, airless, disgraced, graced