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
Some semblance of time does exist on Sommarøy.
—
Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
Sigourney Weaver may have built her career as Alien’s Ripley, one of the great heroines of American blockbusters, but the three-time Oscar nominee has spent decades avoiding any semblance of typecasting.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Any semblance of a functioning individual health insurance market has been eliminated, as government health insurance or employers are the only real source of coverage for nearly all Americans.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Anything to spark a team devoid of any semblance of a winning identity.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
Sigourney Weaver may have built her career as Alien’s Ripley, one of the great heroines of American blockbusters, but the three-time Oscar nominee has spent decades avoiding any semblance of typecasting.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Any semblance of a functioning individual health insurance market has been eliminated, as government health insurance or employers are the only real source of coverage for nearly all Americans.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
Anything to spark a team devoid of any semblance of a winning identity.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for semblance
Noun
-
This week’s truncating of the schedule removed whatever pretense remained that Kennedy’s HHS would respect the scientific process for making decisions about vaccines even when that process was dominated by allies who had already taken action to roll back recommendations.—
Grayson Logue,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
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But gone are the days when those books were displayed to show off the intellect and interests of their owners — and with it, the pretense, at least, that their owners had read them.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Carter continued to act into the early 2020s with appearances in Stumptown, Fake Friends and the TV series Dave.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
In fact, his seven playoff victories are the most ever for a QB without even a Super Bowl appearance.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
So, try the spread at Trinquet, a cozy restaurant in the Old Town, the historic center where some facades date back to the medieval period.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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City staff is recommending that signage should be limited to one per façade for a total of four wall signs, city officials wrote in a planning report.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But special moments in special seasons bloom when least expected, and Cooper smiled in the face of the impossible.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But in today’s world of digital creators, those seeking fame face competition in a way Khan’s generation never could have imagined.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Several actors donned the iconic guise of Ghostface in the Scream franchise, but one of the most intriguing is Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) in the original film.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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In this guise, Saverino is breathless with excitement.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Montha connected on a trio of shots from behind the arc in the second quarter, as the junior point guard did his best Steph Curry impression to help the Tillers to a 33-26 halftime advantage over the Eagles (12-7, 1-1).—
David Delgado,
Oc Register,
7 Jan. 2026
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There’s also the fact that the impression fans or analysts form about a team is often weighted toward the offensive end of the football, and Denver’s sporadic nature on that side of the ball this season has contributed to the lukewarm view some have of the team.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a recent Instagram post, Kardashian laughed off negative reviews of the show, which also stars Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts and Glenn Close, has been receiving from fans.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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And the team behind the show, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at Monday’s New York premiere, teased that the audience will not be able to predict what happens.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The existing program was implemented in 2024 and is in effect for two years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
As well as testing the various systems on board, the crew will be test subjects themselves, helping Nasa understand the effects that space travel has on their cognition, sleep, stress, immune responses and cardiovascular health.—
The Week,
TheWeek,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Semblance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semblance. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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