pretense

[ pri-tens, pree-tens ]

noun

1. pretending or feigning; make-believe:

   My sleepiness was all pretense.

2. a false show of something:

   a pretense of friendship.

   Synonyms: semblance

3. a piece of make-believe.

   Synonyms: veil, mask

4. the act of pretending or alleging falsely.
5. a false allegation or justification:

   He excused himself from the lunch on a pretense of urgent business.

6. insincere or false profession:

   His pious words were mere pretense.

7. the putting forth of an unwarranted claim.
8. the claim itself.
9. any allegation or claim:

   to obtain money under false pretenses.

10. pretension (usually followed by to ):

    destitute of any pretense to wit.

11. pretentiousness.

Other Words From

• pre·tenseful adjective
• pre·tenseless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pretense¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from unattested Medieval Latin praetēnsa, noun use of feminine of praetēnsus, past participle (replacing Latin praetentus ) of praetendere “to put forward, stretch forth, pretend”; pretend

Example Sentences

Now that Trump is headed back to the White House, with X’s Elon Musk in tow, there is not even a pretense of hope on that platform for anyone who voted against Trump.

From Slate

But one of them has run a ragged, undisciplined and often listless campaign, increasingly focused on blatantly false claims and hateful invective, and without the slightest pretense of “moderation” or unifying rhetoric.

From Salon

I’ll say it plainly, then, and dispense with the pretense: Based on nothing but my own want, I predict Kamala Harris will win this election.

From Slate

In the campaign’s final week, Trump returned to New York to feed his ego and the hate of a party that seems to have lost all pretense of wanting a democracy.

From Los Angeles Times

But it is also true more broadly: Liberal democracy’s protections like the freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion can’t keep American Jews safe if leaders use American Jews’ safety as a pretense to dismantle liberal democracy—the preservation of which is the most important issue to American Jews this election, according to multiple polls.

From Slate

Related Words

• charade
• cloak
• pretext
• semblance
• veneer