pretenses

noun

variants or pretences
plural of pretense
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

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 pretenses Conference expansion has shattered pretenses to regional coherence. — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026 The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Johnson created the story of Nancy (Emilia Jones), who is not a girlfriend, but a crush who Bourdain foolhardily (and under false pretenses) follows to Provincetown after not getting a writing fellowship. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026 Trimpey also faces a felony charge of obtaining money by false pretenses. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026 At school, Jin’s oldest daughter, Jane, teams up with a Black classmate, one of few, to expose their neighbors’ prejudices and pretenses. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Fernando Navarro, 53, of Minneapolis, is facing four counts of felony fraud for collecting nearly $70,000 in funds from Minnesota's medical assistance program under false pretenses. — Riley Moser, CBS News, 23 June 2026 However, according to Ryan, Hernandez was a fraud, allegedly seeking money under false pretenses. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 18 June 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenses
  1. facades
  2. rights
  3. guises
  4. claims
  5. shows
  6. pretensions
  7. airs
  8. poses
Noun
  • Set the scene The Pinch sits on King Street’s popular north-south artery of clothing shops, wine bars, palm trees, and decorative facades.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Roses and a soft orange nod to the way light catches on its facades.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of facades
Noun
  • Its winner, whether filmmaker or rights holder, will give the platform an exclusive license to show the film for a limited period.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Citizenship-for-investment programs go further, offering more rights and a passport that opens doors abroad.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of rights
Noun
  • Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guises
Noun
  • But OpenAI’s reputation, among mathematicians, for bold claims and little transparency is causing considerable skepticism.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Some involve the same voting-by-an-alien offense at issue in Cox’s case, while others include separate charges involving voter registration, false claims of citizenship or the naturalization process.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of claims
Noun
  • The show comes after Sheeran was forced to cancel his Gillette Stadium shows last weekend amid a nor’easter headed for Boston, despite caving to Kraft’s demands.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Sheeran’s tour was slated to play at Kraft’s Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts at the end of September (the shows were ultimately canceled last minute due to severe weather).
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of shows
Noun
  • Their trading volume, political influence and public profiles have expanded — as have their pretensions.
    — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Anyone can join this adventure, this surge of solidarity through collective prayer for our world, to put a stop to all the pretensions of evil.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of pretensions
Noun
  • The debate airs on Atlanta News First and Gray television stations around the state (WALB in Albany, WRDW in Augusta, WTVM and WXTX in Columbus and WTOC in Savannah).
    — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Disney also plans to use the fact that the next Super Bowl airs during a three-day-weekend and in close proximity to Valentine’s Day.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of airs
Noun
  • The framework’s third prong responds to the unique dangers AI poses to children.
    — Matt Post, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The video is analyzed for quality—Birdbuddy looks for clips with good poses and exposure, pulls out a few still images from the video, and sends it to the app as a Postcard.
    — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of poses

Browse Nearby Words

pretense
pretenses
pretension
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Cite this Entry

“Pretenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenses. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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