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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pretense
Many of Lawrence’s sitcoms deploy a hooky premise as pretense for a hangout comedy, and his early work focused on skilled professionals whose personal lives were in the toilet.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
One involved agents bursting into his Capitol Hill office and in the other one, ICE agents used false pretense to arrest a student in her dorm at Columbia University, Nadler said.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Yet even as Starbucks attempts to refocus on coffee by moving away from desserts masquerading as drinks, newer chains are making no pretenses about selling beverages that can easily tide someone over through a mealtime or two.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
That exchange — brief, respectful, zero pretense — is part of what makes the content feel different from a standard celebrity interview.
—Ryan Brennan
march 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretense
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
One involved agents bursting into his Capitol Hill office and in the other one, ICE agents used false pretense to arrest a student in her dorm at Columbia University, Nadler said.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Yet even as Starbucks attempts to refocus on coffee by moving away from desserts masquerading as drinks, newer chains are making no pretenses about selling beverages that can easily tide someone over through a mealtime or two.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
That exchange — brief, respectful, zero pretense — is part of what makes the content feel different from a standard celebrity interview.
—Ryan Brennan
march 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 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
-
Via Mormino Penna is one of Sicily’s most theatrical streetscapes, lined with facades adorned with apotropaic masks, grotesque faces meant to ward off evil.—
Jenn Rice,
Vogue,
18 Mar. 2026
-
For a long time, the property gleamed in the daylight with its white, ornate facade against lush green landscaping and often at night, as well, with twinkling holiday lights attached to almost every surface.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sign up here to receive an email right as the chat is about to start.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Activists Salomé García, who focuses on publicizing the plight of political prisoners in Cuba, and Norges Rodríguez, director of YucaByte, which covers censorship and violations of the right to information in Cuba, also demanded that right at the press conference.—
Sarah Moreno
March 16,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Whether out of arrogance, capriciousness, or collective amnesia, this recent history was ignored.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Vince is benched for his arrogance, but eventually turns his attitude around and leads East Dillon to the state championship — while Jordan's stellar performance in the compelling story arc cemented his rising-star status.—
Ken Simmons,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Start with Farm, a farm-to-table standout that sources directly from local growers and delivers California cuisine without the pretension.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Mar. 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
-
Failure to do so could lead to a breach of fiduciary duty claim against individual board members for failure to enforce the governing documents.—
Howard Dakoff,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Journalists saw in them a powerful tool to hold the government to account on public claims or to report on important trends.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Barbara isn’t a caricature but a deeply human portrait of a woman whose worldview swings wildly between moral superiority and intense self-doubt, both extremes that foreclose human connection.—
Isle McElroy,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
-
In practice, Israel’s security strategy has historically focused on maintaining strong conventional military superiority to avoid ever reaching such a scenario.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretense. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
