pretense
/pri'tens/
Definition
Noun: 1. A false appearance or action intended to deceive: The act of pretending or feigning; behavior meant to make others believe something that is not true. 2. A false claim or reason: An insincere or invented excuse or justification for an action. 3. A claim, often unsupported, to a particular quality, status, or ability: An assertion of possessing something (like a skill or right) that may not be genuine or deserved. 4. Mere outward show; semblance: An imitation or simulation of a condition or feeling.
Usage
- Pretense is used to describe an act of deception, a false reason given for something, or an unjustified claim.
- It is often used in phrases like "under false pretenses" (by using deception), "make a pretense of" (to pretend to do or be something), and "drop the pretense" (to stop pretending).
Examples
- As a false appearance:
- She made a pretense of studying, but she was actually listening to music.
- His interest was just a pretense to get information from her.
- As a false claim or reason:
- He called her under the pretense of needing help, but he really just wanted to talk.
- They entered the building on false pretenses.
- As an unsupported claim:
- He has no pretense to being an expert in the field.
- She made no pretense of being a good cook.
Advanced Usage
- "Under/on the pretense of (doing) something": Using a false reason as a cover for one's true intentions.
- He criticized her work under the pretense of giving helpful advice.
- "A pretense at something": A weak or unconvincing attempt to appear a certain way.
- The meeting was a pretense at consultation, as the decision had already been made.
Variants and Related Words
- Pretence (noun): The British English spelling of "pretense".
- Pretend (verb): To behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when it is not.
- Pretension (noun): A claim or aspiration to a particular quality or status. (Often overlaps with meaning 3 of "pretense", but can imply ambition without the strong connotation of falseness).
- Pretentious (adjective): Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.
Synonyms
- Deception
- Feigning
- Sham
- Guise
- Charade
- Facade
Related Phrases
- False pretenses: A legal term for obtaining something through deception or fraud.
- Make-believe: Imaginative pretending, often without intent to deceive (more innocent than "pretense").
Noun
-
an artful or simulated semblance
-
under the guise of friendship he betrayed them
-
-
a false or unsupportable quality
-
imaginative intellectual play
-
pretending with intention to deceive
-
the act of giving a false appearance
-
his conformity was only pretending
-
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