pretense

noun

ˈprē-ˌten(t)s How to pronounce pretense (audio)
variants or pretence
Definition of pretensenext
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

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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

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3
as in right
an entitlement to something this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pretense The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 According to police, Nelson allegedly arranged to meet a 19-year-old Oakland man via social media on the pretense of purchasing a diamond ring from the man for $5,500, according to court records. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 Before Starlink, someone on a business trip might still decide to expense suboptimal Wi-Fi to keep up the pretense of working. — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 Holden eagerly rebels against Pencey Prep, gets the boot, and flees to New York City, a place with its own vices and hazards, but without the sort of propaganda and pretense that obscure the school’s dark underside. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pretense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretense
  1. affectation
  2. facade
  3. right
  4. arrogance
  5. pretension
  6. guise
  7. claim
  8. superiority
Noun
  • With rare exceptions, EV sound is little more than an affectation.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Robinhood's banking product arrived with private-bank affectations, estate planning, event access, cash to the door, priced at $5 a month inside a bundle a 30-year-old already pays for.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of affectation
Noun
  • The two-family home, designed by the Swiss architect Inès Lamunière, with a severe white stucco and glass façade, highlighter-orange doors, and twisting form, stood out in a neighborhood of 19th-century brownstones and multifamily brick buildings.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yet behind the spectacle, the biggest symbols of their supposedly limitless riches were a facade to make their lives appear better than reality, according to the brothers’ own lawyers.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of facade
Noun
  • When Chelsea try to shift the ball back across to the right, Brighton press man-to-man and force Fofana to the touchline, leaving him with little option other than to play a long ball into the channel in the direction of Neto.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Their case counts wide-release theatrical movies and the basic cable bundle, and leaves out streaming, YouTube, sports rights, and everything else that now competes for the same hours of your evening.
    — Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of right
Noun
  • What might seem arrogance in others feels merely reasonable coming from her.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But while that might suggest arrogance, Dawson’s answer to another question reflects humility.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrogance
Noun
  • The genre, with its sanitized storylines and Oscar-baiting pretensions, seems fundamentally at odds with the iconoclastic chef and television personality.
    — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Like Paul Schrader’s 1982 version of the latter, this is an upscale genre piece whose pretensions towards Art are upfront, starting with a quotation from no less than Schopenhauer.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of pretension
Noun
  • Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guise
Noun
  • He was removed from the South Side church by an independent review board, and the archdiocese’s Office of Child Protection investigated the claims.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Asked to defend those claims on live TV, the candidate chose to talk ticket prices instead.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of claim
Noun
  • One side is struggling to turn military superiority into lasting political gains, while the other may need only to survive to claim victory.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The protagonist is legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, depicted as a young samurai who arrives in Kyoto determined to prove his superiority with the blade.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of superiority

Phrases Containing pretense

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pretends
pretense
pretenses
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Cite this Entry

“Pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretense. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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