semblance

1 a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive tried to project some semblance of confidence even though public speaking terrified her Synonyms act, airs, charade, disguise, facade (also façade), front, guise, playacting, pose, pretense (or pretence), put-on, masquerade, showRelated Words impersonation, performance, portrayal; image, persona; appearance, color, gloss; camouflage, cloak; affectation, deceit, deception, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, duplicity, fakery, fraud, guile; betrayal, double cross, faithlessness, falseness, falsity, infidelity, perfidy, treachery, treason, unfaithfulness; excuse, pretextNear Antonyms bluntness, candidness, candor, directness, forthrightness, frankness, openheartedness, outspokenness, plainspokenness, sincerity, straightforwardness; artlessness, genuineness, naïveté (also naivete or naiveté)

2 outward and often deceptive indication a used-car dealer with only a semblance of honesty Synonyms face, guise, name, outward, seeming, appearance, showRelated Words air, effect, impression; hint, implication, insinuation, resemblance, suggestion; affectation, demonstration, display, fiction, image, imitation, imposture, likeness, make-believe (also make-belief), pose, pretense (or pretence), representation, simulation; cloak, disguise, exterior, facade (also façade), front, gloss, mask, masquerade, patina, Potemkin village, shape, shell, surface, veneer