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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pretenses
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
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 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
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
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenses
Noun
-
With facades facing Seventh Avenue, 498 and 500 Seventh Avenue promised a future for America’s fashion capitol and over time, helped chart the success of Norman Norell, Bill Blass, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren, among others.
-
Decorative limestone and sandstone moldings adorned the building’s facades, while columns made from the same materials enhanced its splendor.
Noun
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In Los Angeles, Wakasa said, a DSA mayor would be expected to build more public transit, strengthen protections for renters, fight for workers’ rights, raise the minimum wage and defend local immigrants from the federal government.
-
What specifically might these legal rights and protections look like?
Noun
-
Footballing success, in differing guises, came a long time ago.
-
Opponents of affirmative action, who suspect that the process is still continuing under other guises, could seek to replicate the winning strategy of the Harvard and UNC cases, if testing data show large, unexplainable gaps in academic preparation among different student groups.
Noun
-
The motion does not address the core negligence and wrongful death claims stemming from the crash itself but seeks to dismiss claims related to emergency dispatch and allegations Riverside County officials failed to protect the victims after the collision.
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Safety net hospitals also have fewer resources than more affluent hospitals to deal with denials from Medicaid managed care organizations, which occur when health insurers and other organizations that administer Medicaid benefits for the state deny payment for certain claims.
Noun
-
The guild received a record number of submissions for its 13th annual celebration of outstanding creative visual contributions of location professionals in contemporary and period films and TV shows, along with commercials and film commissions from around the world.
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How have your previous live shows influenced the direction of this tour?
Noun
-
The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.
-
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.
Noun
-
Every World Cup match airs overnight, so the cost lands the next morning.
-
The game airs on FOX, broadcast locally on WDAF (Channel 4).
Noun
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The entire cast is part of an underground ballroom competition, going claw to claw in matchups that rank the best poses, death drops, outfits, name brands, and choreography.
-
The choice Lind poses—wages and Social Security, or a capital stake—is a false one.
Cite this Entry
“Pretenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenses. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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