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
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, 55-year-old Ziad Khalel, of Clinton Township, was arraigned on Tuesday on one count of false pretenses - $1,000 ore more but less than $20,000 and as a habitual offender - second offense.
—
Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 27 May 2026
According to Placer Superior Court filings, one false pretenses count and the personal identifying information charge stemmed from a June 21, 2025, incident.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Officials allege the group sold the oil under false pretenses and used the profits to sustain and expand the original food fraud scheme.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
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
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
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
Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 27 May 2026
According to Placer Superior Court filings, one false pretenses count and the personal identifying information charge stemmed from a June 21, 2025, incident.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Officials allege the group sold the oil under false pretenses and used the profits to sustain and expand the original food fraud scheme.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenses
Noun
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Houzz notes that 69 percent of homeowners are opting for different trim and wall colors, indicating a strong preference for varied facades.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
3 June 2026
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This can include easier jobs, like fresh paint jobs on facades and park clean-ups overnight, or more intense projects like refreshing and reimagining attractions.—
Megan duBois,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Surrounded by some of the state capital’s oldest buildings, the Green is where troops once assembled during the American Revolution and where suffragettes campaigned for women’s rights.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Although Blatter himself was not charged in the investigation, his regime collapsed under the weight of hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes for TV rights and other spoils, and he was soon banned from international football for ethical breaches.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Dwayne Johnson is a confident guy and has donned any number of ridiculous guises during his Saturday Night Live hosting gigs over the years.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
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Berenger, a character who appears in different guises in several of his plays, is Ionesco’s version of Everyman.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The amount will depend on the number of valid claims submitted and the amount remaining in the fund after portions are distributed to pay attorneys, expenses and other fees.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
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Welker asked Trump about his cheating claims.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Indian benchmark indices, in sharp contrast, are the only ones in the red, falling over 10%, data from LSEG shows.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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With its focus on discovering distinctive talent, MFW includes runway shows, as well as market and showroom, where collections can be directly evaluated by buyers – formats that can support sales activity.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Perfection is inhuman, and pretensions to it are both doomed and misbegotten.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
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The digs at the pretensions of artists, channeled through Claire’s decision to make her death a public spectacle in order to secure some future fame, are less amusing here because the blows never seem to quite connect with their targets.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Hosted by Tituss Burgess and Laura Benanti, that earlier ceremony airs on the free network Pluto TV.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
4 June 2026
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Game 2 of the NBA Finals takes place Friday, June 5, in San Antonio and airs on ESPN.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Nilsson’s version shares little with its source beyond Adam and Eve themselves, here recast as doughy, beigy silhouettes striking poses amid an almost psychedelic soup of parti-color fronds, blobs, and amoebas.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Giudice struck a few poses at the White Fox show at the Setai hotel in Miami Beach for Miami Swim Week, which wrapped Sunday.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenses. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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