variants
or pretence
1
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
she seemed to be a very down-to-earth woman who was completely free of pretense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in facade
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
her display of bravado was just a pretense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in right
an entitlement to something
this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
the pretense of that woman in thinking that the other hotel guests should be inconvenienced just for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretense
Hosts like Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and Seth Meyers have all but abandoned any pretense of comedy in favor of yet another lecture on their ideological preferences.
—
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
That had long been the perception behind the scenes and, once Newcastle’s Champions League exit was sealed at the Camp Nou in March, any public pretence to the contrary evaporated.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 29 May 2026
When his former lover returns under the pretense of old affection and his wife edges toward betrayal, Owen resolves to write, direct, and star in a new production of his own.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026
In a work culture that has spent a decade celebrating grit, Cowan’s quieter argument—that caring openly is the more rigorous path to performance, and that the expensive thing is not the pause but the pretense—may be the one most worth remembering on a Monday morning.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretense
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
That had long been the perception behind the scenes and, once Newcastle’s Champions League exit was sealed at the Camp Nou in March, any public pretence to the contrary evaporated.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 29 May 2026
When his former lover returns under the pretense of old affection and his wife edges toward betrayal, Owen resolves to write, direct, and star in a new production of his own.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026
In a work culture that has spent a decade celebrating grit, Cowan’s quieter argument—that caring openly is the more rigorous path to performance, and that the expensive thing is not the pause but the pretense—may be the one most worth remembering on a Monday morning.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretense
Noun
-
The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tarps continue to cover portions of the facade where the name had been displayed.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
-
Sign on facade at shoe company Allbirds, Walnut Creek, California, August 25, 2025.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The report said witnesses claimed that the airplane lost some altitude before regaining it, then flew at treetop height and turned to the right before disappearing from their view.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
During a fight for the ball by New Zealand defender Finn Surman and Iranian forward Shahriyar Moghanlou, the ball spilled toward Ramin Rezaeian, who tapped into the far post from close range on the right to tie things up 1-1 tie in the 32nd minute.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Deficient Humility manifests as arrogance, which can fracture teams and alienate fans.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
His mixture of insecurity and arrogance was eye-catching.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.—
Colin Wrenn,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The business owners argue that they’ve been denied leases in Westport for racially discriminatory reasons under the guise of improving public safety.—
Dylan Lysen,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
Opponents of affirmative action, who suspect that the process is still continuing under other guises, could seek to replicate the winning strategy of the Harvard and UNC cases, if testing data show large, unexplainable gaps in academic preparation among different student groups.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Draper contested the claims and denied all wrongdoing and criticized the Commission on Judicial Performance.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
According to the Comcast settlement website, the settlement is now open for claims, and current or former customers who received a breach notification from Comcast in December 2023 may be eligible for a payout.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
In a crew filled with people convinced of the superiority of their own methods, Cooper just wants to look at peacocks, call his grandma, and engage in some PG-13 flirting with fellow innocent oddball Kat.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
The United States, which can gobble up Olympic medals and force-feed its brand of football to a happy audience across the pond, has had to cede superiority to the rest of the world, unable to even get its own term for the game to catch on.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretense. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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