variants
or pretences
1
as in facades
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
her display of bravado was just a pretense
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rights
an entitlement to something
this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretenses
In the documentary, a man running the shelter, who identified himself as Charles Lubajja, tells the undercover reporters that the shelter exists primarily to make money from social media users abroad under false pretenses.
—
Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
In the movie, members of the narcotics unit face suspicion for allegedly stealing some of the money under false pretenses and for their own benefit.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Maybe Thalia had come to Gilead under false pretenses and gotten caught.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
Marks was also charged with obtaining property under false pretenses and misdemeanor larceny.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Butts is charged with one count of false pretenses ($100,000 or more), three counts of false pretenses ($50,000 or more but less than $100,000), two counts of false pretenses ($20,000 or more but less than $50,000), 12 counts of identity theft, and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
While some of the women who came here willingly embraced ISIS ideology and passed it on to their children, many others say they were trafficked or lured to the region through ignorance or under false pretenses.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
In the movie, members of the narcotics unit face suspicion for allegedly stealing some of the money under false pretenses and for their own benefit.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Maybe Thalia had come to Gilead under false pretenses and gotten caught.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
Marks was also charged with obtaining property under false pretenses and misdemeanor larceny.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Butts is charged with one count of false pretenses ($100,000 or more), three counts of false pretenses ($50,000 or more but less than $100,000), two counts of false pretenses ($20,000 or more but less than $50,000), 12 counts of identity theft, and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
While some of the women who came here willingly embraced ISIS ideology and passed it on to their children, many others say they were trafficked or lured to the region through ignorance or under false pretenses.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenses
Noun
-
All of the buildings have these facades that are intricately carved in Baroque and Rococo designs.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
Historic preservation is often dismissed as nostalgia, the hobby of people who prefer old facades to modern needs.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
However, rights groups, including Global Witness, have long urged jewelers to avoid buying Burmese gemstones, saying the trade helps fund the country's military governments, according to The Associated Press.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
The 53-year-old rights activist and champion of women’s rights was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison and has been jailed repeatedly throughout her career.—
Sarah el Deeb,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Farage has been through various guises.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
These projects reveal the evil lurking underneath the guises of killers who were so often hiding in plain sight.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Russia dismisses such claims as nonsense.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
Underwriting profit is the positive difference between the insurance premium and all insurance claims and expenses.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
So these shows are very healthy relative to a lot of other media.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
The move to Netflix is part of an expansion of the streamer’s live event programming which has seen a push with live sports such as boxing and wrestling (WWE Raw), live stand-up comedy specials and awards shows, including SAG-AFTRA’s Actor Awards.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Spiegelman uses the term micro-looting, dressing up petty theft in political pretensions.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The show was last week recommissioned for a second season before the first airs.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
Where to Watch Kentucky Derby 2026 The horse racing event (and pre-race coverage) airs on NBC, which can be streamed live via DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Sling or Hulu + Live TV.—
Erin Lassner,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Researchers have therefore been scrambling to quantify what risk all that smoke poses for human health.—
Joanna Thompson,
Space.com,
12 May 2026
-
In April 2021, Borelli and McCreary hit their best poses in their protective gear on set.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenses. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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