pretence
/prɛtɛns/ · pret·ence
noun
- A false or pretended appearance or show of something, especially a feeling or attitude. She put on a pretence of happiness to avoid hurting her friend's feelings.
- A pretentious or affected manner or attitude. His pretence of being a connoisseur of fine art was laughable.
- A claim or assertion that is not based on fact or reality. The company's pretence of being environmentally friendly was exposed when their practices were investigated.
verb
- To pretend or feign something, especially a feeling or attitude. She pretended to be interested in the conversation to avoid hurting her friend's feelings.
- To make a show of something, especially a feeling or attitude. He pretended to be happy to avoid causing a scene.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word 'pretence' has been used in various literary works, including William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', where the character of Hamlet uses the word to describe his uncle's pretence of being a just ruler.