1
as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
tried to project some semblance of confidence even though public speaking terrified her
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
a used-car dealer with only a semblance of honesty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of semblance
Boston’s best scoring chance before that came in the fourth when the Red Sox got men at first and second with one out, but other than that the club couldn’t sustain any semblance of a rally until the game was well out of reach.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 May 2026
Although Drake’s clear goal with this triple drop is unloading the clip, there’s a semblance to the sprawl.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Translating Kafka had stripped him of all semblance of tranquillity.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The time involved in finding some semblance of peace.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 May 2026
Although Drake’s clear goal with this triple drop is unloading the clip, there’s a semblance to the sprawl.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Translating Kafka had stripped him of all semblance of tranquillity.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The time involved in finding some semblance of peace.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for semblance
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
Ronaldo is set to make a record-tying sixth World Cup appearance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
The Indians have made consecutive regional finals and made a state championship game appearance in the 2021 season, falling 4-3 to Rockwall-Heath.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The owner, Kenneth Howell has been locked in an acrimonious battle with the city of Boise for years, after Boise staff raised concerns over temporary shoring posts bowing under the building’s weight and a crumbling facade, among other safety issues staff highlighted.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
3 June 2026
-
The record of my thinking is right there in the open, teaching me tolerance for my fumbling, training me not to hide my struggle behind a seamless façade of digital perfection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Few faces are as iconically Philadelphian as Gritty.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Lyrics by Ahrens and dialogue by McNally about the discrimination and brutality that Black Americans and immigrants face can seem straight out of the current moment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
And that came in the guise of a serious illness that threatens — but then ends up solidifying — the unbreakable bond between Deborah (Jean Smart) and her protégé, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), something that has been built up over the course of five seasons.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
29 May 2026
-
Dwayne Johnson is a confident guy and has donned any number of ridiculous guises during his Saturday Night Live hosting gigs over the years.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
For nearly 24 hours after CNN reported on Wednesday that Carroll was the target of a criminal investigation, the DOJ did not correct the record and even appeared to give some media outlets the impression that the original story was somewhat accurate.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
-
Companies with a track record of straight dealing tend to get more grace in difficult moments than those who’ve spent years optimizing for surface-level impressions.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
On a year-to-date basis, the rupee has fallen by more than 6%, LSEG data shows.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
The show is still using some of those songs, giving the score’s relationship to the script a half-in, half-out near-jukebox feeling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Given the dramatic manner in which the hulking piers marched down the center of the institution’s narrow corridor, flanked by the photographer’s three-inch-square Polaroids, hung as if in awed supplication, the effect verged on hyperbole, the gnomic ceding to the grandiose.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
The conflict has in effect closed the Strait of Hormuz, curtailing exports of oil and gas products, notably jet fuel, leading to dire warnings for the global airline industry.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Semblance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semblance. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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