variants
or pretences
1
as in airs
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 pretensions
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
Did Gacy’s attorney, Sam Amirante, agree to represent him on false pretenses and later struggle to be his lawyer?
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Harold is so clearly not a great man that his pretenses feel more like cries for help.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
They were arraigned on Friday in Brockton District Court on one count each of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses, embezzlement, and conspiracy.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Since then, immigration raids have escalated — often under questionable pretenses.
—Sonia Banker, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
And yet, somewhere in the city, someone is being arrested and detained as an enemy of the state under dodgy pretenses.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Personas are pretenses, so keep a clear head accordingly.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
This may seem to be an inadequate and weak response to a president and governor who are seizing control on false pretenses.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
The studio is nothing but false pretenses.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Harold is so clearly not a great man that his pretenses feel more like cries for help.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
They were arraigned on Friday in Brockton District Court on one count each of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses, embezzlement, and conspiracy.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Since then, immigration raids have escalated — often under questionable pretenses.
—Sonia Banker, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
And yet, somewhere in the city, someone is being arrested and detained as an enemy of the state under dodgy pretenses.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Personas are pretenses, so keep a clear head accordingly.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
This may seem to be an inadequate and weak response to a president and governor who are seizing control on false pretenses.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
The studio is nothing but false pretenses.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenses
Noun
-
The show will be available to stream with a regular Hulu subscription on Sunday, the day after a new episode airs.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The Drew Barrymore Show airs weekdays on CBS.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Ron Rosenbaum on the Icon and the Enigma To be caught in the spotlight of our pretensions is the worst kind of embarrassment there is.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Few things jar the delicate pretensions of the cocktail sophisticate so much as a drink with a chicken on top.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
Denver Post,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Despite his claims of innocence, her husband, Scott Peterson, was convicted of her murder in 2004.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
And the advent of consumer DNA products has led to numerous claims of fertility fraud over the years.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Combined poses, breathing exercises, and meditation support overall digestive health.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The two emulated the '90s pair's poses, with Corley wrapping her arms around The Big Day rapper while wearing a similar cutout turtleneck as Pinkett Smith's and leaning her cheek against his head.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The compromise speaks to Lee’s pragmatic approach to breaking South Korean acts into the American mainstream — a three-decade quest that often required him to bend but never break his vision.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Nov. 2025
-
What’s left acts as a protective stencil for later steps, like etching the metal or silicon.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Wet and dry fronts, prevailing winds, moisture and vapour, meeting, as luck would have it, exactly at the top of that big mountain on the little island.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Scott brought his mother Sandra and thanked her on many fronts.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Sevilla in particular excelled at this during their 4-1 win this month as the map below shows.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Sarah McLachlan, please call The New Theatre & Restaurant in Overland Park, where shows run for weeks at a time, has provided an endless supply of actors to chat with.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Alongside his wife Hayley Erbert and friend Jill, judge complimented the cast on their performances in the Halloween night episode.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
In just the past decade, late-night shows’ bookings—a reliable rite of passage for musical artists on the edge of a breakthrough—have dropped significantly, to barely 200 performances in 2023.—
Jonathan Garrett,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenses. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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