Synonyms of pretense

pretense

noun

ˈprē-ˌten(t)s 

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

• affectation
• pretension
• arrogance
• vanity
• disdain
• superiority
• inflation
• grandiosity
• pride
• pretentiousness
• confidence
• affectedness
• smugness
• complacency
• snobbery
• self-aggrandizement
• haughtiness
• vainglory
• presumption
• self-satisfaction
• imperiousness
• snobbishness
• hauteur
• egotism
• conceit
• self-assertion
• superciliousness
• pompousness
• self-conceit
• boastfulness
• self-importance
• presumptuousness
• bumptiousness
• vainness
• self-assurance
• self-confidence
• boldness
• rudeness
• assertiveness
• self-glorification
• vaingloriousness
• lordliness
• braggadocio
• ostentation
• aggressiveness
• sureness
• audaciousness
• cockiness
• forwardness
• impudence
• glitz
• cheekiness
• mummery
• flamboyance
• insolence
• gaudiness
• self-assumption
• showiness
• grandiloquence
• flashiness
• ostentatiousness
• garishness
• self-consequence
• brassiness
• show

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• humility
• modesty
• meekness
• humbleness
• demureness
• timidity
• lowliness
• sincerity
• diffidence
• shyness
• bashfulness
• down-to-earthness
• naturalness

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

• facade
• guise
• show
• act
• pose
• charade
• semblance
• masquerade
• airs
• disguise
• front
• cloak
• pretext
• put-on
• playacting
• performance
• appearance
• portrayal
• persona
• deception
• affectation
• impersonation
• excuse
• duplicity
• camouflage
• betrayal
• deceit
• image
• gloss
• dissimulation
• fraud
• treason
• treachery
• falseness
• guile
• fakery
• perfidy
• dissembling
• falsity
• color
• faithlessness
• double-dealing
• infidelity
• unfaithfulness
• double cross

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sincerity
• frankness
• candor
• directness
• bluntness
• straightforwardness
• forthrightness
• outspokenness
• candidness
• naïveté
• genuineness
• artlessness
• openheartedness
• plainspokenness

3

as in right

an entitlement to something

this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• right
• claim
• pretension
• call
• title
• privilege
• dibs
• refusal
• prerogative
• birthright
• favor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• waiver
• release
• disclaimer
• quitclaim

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

• arrogance
• superiority
• pretension
• disdain
• attitude
• assumption
• haughtiness
• pomposity
• superciliousness
• consequence
• imperiousness
• loftiness
• hauteur
• pretentiousness
• peremptoriness
• self-importance
• pompousness
• bumptiousness
• presumptuousness
• masterfulness
• lordliness
• high horse
• huffiness
• vanity
• pridefulness
• toploftiness
• dominance
• pride
• self-consequence
• condescension
• snobbery
• scorn
• bravado
• high-handedness
• inflation
• snobbishness
• bossiness
• snobbism
• snootiness
• self-assertion
• chest-thumping
• authoritativeness
• boastfulness
• brag
• smugness
• triumphalism
• swagger
• side
• cheekiness
• vainglory
• bowwow
• sauciness
• bombast
• egoism
• impudence
• self-satisfaction
• braggadocio
• egotism
• self-complacency
• cockiness
• self-opinion
• strut
• self-centeredness
• cheek
• conceit
• self-conceit
• complacence
• self-content
• impertinence
• vaingloriousness
• swelled head
• self-contentment
• superiority complex
• self-assumption
• self-partiality

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• humility
• modesty
• unpretentiousness
• shyness
• bashfulness
• timidity
• diffidence
• demureness
• passivity
• meekness
• self-doubt
• submissiveness
• unassumingness
• passiveness
• reserve
• lowliness
• quietness
• timidness
• retiringness
• self-distrust
• reservedness
• mousiness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pretense

Before Starlink, someone on a business trip might still decide to expense suboptimal Wi-Fi to keep up the pretense of working. — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026

Holden eagerly rebels against Pencey Prep, gets the boot, and flees to New York City, a place with its own vices and hazards, but without the sort of propaganda and pretense that obscure the school’s dark underside. — Literary Hub, 10 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

Everything else is pretense; the diplomat is pretense; the Hand of the King, there’s a level of pretense; Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, there’s a level of pretense. — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026

Phrases Containing pretense

• make a pretense