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
Relevance
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
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 semblance
Moscow lacked police, basic services, any semblance of a functional government.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
At least some semblance of production from the outfield, largely entwined with the bottom of the order, that had been so meager last year.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Airports around the country also reportedly began returning to some semblance of normalcy.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Many of them, as is the case with many Arab communities, are rooted in communal living, often piecemealing some semblance of a family with other diaspora communities.
—Danny Hajjar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
At least some semblance of production from the outfield, largely entwined with the bottom of the order, that had been so meager last year.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Airports around the country also reportedly began returning to some semblance of normalcy.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Many of them, as is the case with many Arab communities, are rooted in communal living, often piecemealing some semblance of a family with other diaspora communities.
—Danny Hajjar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semblance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for semblance
Noun
-
On the day of Lincoln’s election, the Wide Awakes patrolled polling places under the pretense of protecting democracy, while opponents viewed it as voter intimidation.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The father-daughter duo typically make an annual appearance at the Barnstable Brown Gala, which benefits the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at the University of Kentucky.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Seidler took over as club chairman in November 2020, shortly after the team made its first playoff appearance in 20 seasons.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Historic preservation is often dismissed as nostalgia, the hobby of people who prefer old facades to modern needs.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
6 May 2026
-
My mosaic facade, titled Human Dignity Shall Be Inviolable, covers the German pavilion at scale.—
Pablo Larios,
Artforum,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The foreign sounds made his face crimp, as if somebody right next to him had farted.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
However, the fashion world has been particularly enamored with these breakout stars, with major designers and brands clamoring to get one of the boys seated front-row at their shows, if not serving face in their next ad campaign.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
However, her origin myth, in which she was hatched from an egg laid by her mother, Leda, who had been ravished by Zeus in the guise of a swan, is plainly invention.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This pliable guise is partially what makes his persona such a durable meme.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That was my impression after the Villars Ocean Forum, a gathering of over 150 leaders from academic, activist, and business backgrounds.—
Natalie Sum Yue Chung,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
In interviews, representatives of some companies told me about their algorithms’ abilities to reveal patterns that impressions alone cannot.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Earlier this month, the Kremlin announced that this year’s Victory Day parade, held every May 9th in Red Square to commemorate the Soviet victory in the Second World War, which is typically a show of Russian might, would be a modest, small-scale affair.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Related Stories Original stars of the show were in short supply, with several key cast members having passed on — including Paul Reubens, who died three years ago, and Phil Hartman and Lynne Marie Stewart, who died in 1998 and 2025, respectively.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
No immediate impact likely for world oil markets The UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC won’t necessarily have any immediate effects in markets.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Yet another secondary effect of the Iran war is the expansion of modern drone warfare to the Persian Gulf region.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Semblance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semblance. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
