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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in airs
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in claim
an entitlement to something
this book on gardening makes no pretense at completeness
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretense
In the most recent suit, filed Dec. 27 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, former patients accuse Brock of groping their breasts and genitals unnecessarily under the pretense of legitimate medical examinations.
—
Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Both Loughlin and Giannulli, 57, pleaded guilty last May to paying $500,000 in bribes to get Olivia Jade and Isabella fraudulently admitted to the University of Southern California on the pretense of being recruits for the school’s rowing team.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2024
Relationships can endure an awful lot, the play asserts, but not false intimacy—not the pretense of something that should be sacred.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
Soka University Disturbingly, even while not issuing credit, many of these colleges and universities let students waive out of the introductory classes—giving the pretense of some benefit but with no loss of tuition revenue for the school.
—Paul Weinstein Jr., Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pretense 
Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Both Loughlin and Giannulli, 57, pleaded guilty last May to paying $500,000 in bribes to get Olivia Jade and Isabella fraudulently admitted to the University of Southern California on the pretense of being recruits for the school’s rowing team.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2024
Relationships can endure an awful lot, the play asserts, but not false intimacy—not the pretense of something that should be sacred.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
Soka University Disturbingly, even while not issuing credit, many of these colleges and universities let students waive out of the introductory classes—giving the pretense of some benefit but with no loss of tuition revenue for the school.
—Paul Weinstein Jr., Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pretense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretense
Noun
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In the 2010s, baking sourdough bread at home went from quirky, hippie affectation to a serious hobby.—
Meghan McCarron,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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That was just a bizarre affectation, a strange impression of a dancing horse that offered basically nothing constructive, and ultimately made his eventual miss look five times as stupid.—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
9 July 2024
Noun
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Trump has blamed the fires on Newsom, who pushed back on the claim and has invited the president-elect to survey the damage.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 Jan. 2025
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Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: False The claim originated on a satirical website.—
Joedy McCreary,
USA TODAY,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Trump’s Comments About The Panama Canal Trump remarked that the United States should regain control of the Panama Canal, a statement that evoked arrogance and colonialism in the past.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
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The historical 'attitude' (arrogance) in his acting has fueled MAGA, and his endorsements of Trump are undeniably overbearing and irrational.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There were no pretensions of showmanship, no displays of braggadocio — just the hollow ringing of palms on goatskin.—
Taran Dugal,
Rolling Stone,
16 Dec. 2024
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The car comes equipped with the standard sensor suite for cars with pretensions to urban autonomy: lidars on the roof and around the front bumper, and radar and cameras just about everywhere else.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 Dec. 2016
Noun
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The British viewed the Boston Tea Party as an act of treason and retaliated with punitive measures that would ultimately lead to conflict.—
Joe Minihane,
CNN,
22 Jan. 2025
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When one of its A-list legacy act residencies like Eagles is not performing, the Sphere offers other sensory-tingling experiences: award-winning director Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth and V:U2, a concert film about U2.—
Melinda Sheckells,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 AD, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2025
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The dominant view in Washington argues for peace through strength, that only clear military superiority can deter China’s ambitions to subsume Taiwan and exert dominance across the Indo-Pacific.—
Brad Dress,
The Hill,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The winner goes on to the Super Bowl on February 9. Who will perform in the Super Bowl Halftime show?—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
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During an interview on the Willie D. Live YouTube show Nelly framed his choice as support of the office of President rather than Trump himself.—
Kizzy Cox,
Essence,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Maryland’s green energy plan assumptions are a fantasy.—
David T. Stevenson,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Jan. 2025
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Somehow, the assumptions of this defense attorney have been treated with credence over the word of a veteran assistant state’s attorney dedicated to public service.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pretense
Cite this Entry
“Pretense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretense. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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