Entry Word: pretense

Function: noun

Meaning:

or pretence

1 the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case <she seemed to be a very down-to-earth woman who was completely free of pretense>

Synonyms affectation, affectedness, grandiosity, pretension, pretentiousness

Related Words arrogance, complacency, conceit, egotism, pride, self-assertion, self-conceit, self-importance, self-satisfaction, smugness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vainness, vanity; disdain, haughtiness, lordliness, snobbery, snobbishness, superciliousness, superiority; confidence, presumption, self-assurance, self-confidence, sureness; boastfulness, braggadocio; aggressiveness, assertiveness, audaciousness, boldness, brassiness, cheekiness, cockiness, forwardness, impudence, insolence, rudeness; grandiloquence; flashiness, gaudiness, ostentation, show, showiness

Near Antonyms demureness, humbleness, humility, meekness, modesty; bashfulness, diffidence, shyness, timidity; naturalness, sincerity

2 a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive <her display of bravado was just a pretense> — see masquerade
3 an entitlement to something <the book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness> — see claim 1
4 an exaggerated sense of oneʼs importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims <the pretense of that woman in thinking that the other hotel guests should be inconvenienced just for her> — see arrogance