variants
or pretence
1
as in affectation
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in facade
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
her display of bravado was just a pretense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in right
an entitlement to something
this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretense
Call it polish without pretense.
—
Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
This is not an e-bike; there are no pedals and, interestingly, no pretense of a bicycle categorization to blur regulatory lines.
—New Atlas, 4 Feb. 2026
Wang faces four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury, one count of kidnapping, and two counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
She has been charged with four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury, one count of kidnapping and two counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretense
Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
This is not an e-bike; there are no pedals and, interestingly, no pretense of a bicycle categorization to blur regulatory lines.
—New Atlas, 4 Feb. 2026
Wang faces four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury, one count of kidnapping, and two counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
She has been charged with four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury, one count of kidnapping and two counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretense
Noun
-
For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The self-conscious aspiration to hipness here is unfortunate and decidedly not cool, but some may find such affectations quaint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The hotel was knocked down in 2005 to make way for the Las Olas Beach Club condo, but the facade was preserved thanks to intervention by historic preservationists.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Though the building’s façade still retains its iconic scalloped awning, the logo has been replaced with that of a high-end menswear store.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One commented on the Rwandan genocide; another argued that individuals didn’t actually have a constitutional right to bear arms.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In downtown contexts, high intensity is accompanied by alley service, wide rights of way, coordinated intersections and transit capacity calibrated to match it.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Too few compliments make kids feel slighted, while too many can inspire arrogance.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Adam McKay’s toxically smug dissection of Dick Cheney fails to take the full measure of this monstrous vice-president, but even so, Bale taps into something elemental about the man’s arrogance and domineering personality.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities.—
George F. Will,
Washington Post,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Emma Roberts has tested nearly every possible blonde, and this bright, warm oatmeal suits her complexion while honoring the old money trend in personalized guise.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
3 Mar. 2026
-
This moment will come in many guises.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All prize claims must be submitted within 180 days of the drawing date for draw games.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Fleming, as a former roommate, previously addressed those claims.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But there is little doubt, officials and experts say, that spying efforts are intensifying as the world’s two dominant superpowers, the United States and China, battle for superiority across economic, technological, military and ideological fronts.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
-
By now, everyone in the SEC realizes football superiority isn’t a birthright.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretense. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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