1
as in pretense
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 & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
a used-car dealer with only a semblance of honesty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of semblance
Moscow lacked police, basic services, any semblance of a functional government.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
At least some semblance of production from the outfield, largely entwined with the bottom of the order, that had been so meager last year.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Airports around the country also reportedly began returning to some semblance of normalcy.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Many of them, as is the case with many Arab communities, are rooted in communal living, often piecemealing some semblance of a family with other diaspora communities.
—Danny Hajjar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
At least some semblance of production from the outfield, largely entwined with the bottom of the order, that had been so meager last year.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Airports around the country also reportedly began returning to some semblance of normalcy.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Many of them, as is the case with many Arab communities, are rooted in communal living, often piecemealing some semblance of a family with other diaspora communities.
—Danny Hajjar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for semblance
Noun
-
On the day of Lincoln’s election, the Wide Awakes patrolled polling places under the pretense of protecting democracy, while opponents viewed it as voter intimidation.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During their time together, Snead and McVay built teams that have played in two Super Bowls, winning one, and made eight playoff appearances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
His most notable appearance was back in 2011.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While Metcalf’s Linda adopts a facade of stoicism to shield her family from the grief erupting in her, Abbott’s Biff is forced to reveal the broken man behind the defiant veneer.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The southern façade, for instance, is entirely solid—no windows, no openings—to shield the interior from the most brutal solar rays.—
Nick Mafi,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Crow-Armstrong had a similar look on his face when that history came up again Friday.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The second group, Grand Penn Partners, is the corporate face of a plan to rebuild Penn Station as a Neo-classical complex.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the partisan press era in the United States, news organizations aligned themselves politically and presented news from a specific partisan point of view, without the guise of objectivity.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Then, in the late nineteenth century, the mandolin experienced a second flowering, albeit in a different guise.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sadiq ended up going 16th to the New York Jets, but my impression is the Panthers would have taken Freeling over him anyway.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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After all, your garage door is one of your home's opportunities to make a first impression.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While discussing the delicate tone of the show and its balance of being a satire on the Hollywood movie business and a love letter to chasing your dream, Cretton said the creative team focused on character to find their way.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
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The entire show can be seen on Billboard’s YouTube channel, below.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No immediate impact likely for world oil markets The UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC won’t necessarily have any immediate effects in markets.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Yet another secondary effect of the Iran war is the expansion of modern drone warfare to the Persian Gulf region.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Semblance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semblance. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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