MAKE A PRETENSE Synonyms: 30 Similar Words

make a pretense

phrase

as in pretend

to take on a false or deceptive appearance He didn't even make a pretense of appreciating her artwork.

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make a show

Phrase

Still, the outcry—and the lack of outspoken public support even from those federations and allies that Infantino has made a show of propping up—had unusual force and breadth.

— Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
To celebrate what makes a show like this — real collaboration, real joy, real family, falling down and getting back up.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 31 July 2026

Definition of make a show

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make amends (for)

make a pretense

make a scene

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“Make a pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make%20a%20pretense. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of make a pretense

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