'Pretense' definitions:
Definition of 'pretense'
From: WordNet
noun
The act of giving a false appearance; "his conformity was only pretending" [syn: pretense, pretence, pretending, simulation, feigning]
noun
noun
Imaginative intellectual play [syn: pretense, pretence, make-believe]
noun
A false or unsupportable quality [syn: pretension, pretense, pretence]
noun
Definition of 'Pretense'
From: GCIDE
- Pretense \Pre*tense"\, Pretence \Pre*tence\, n. [LL. praetensus, for L. praetentus, p. p. of praetendere. See Pretend, and cf. Tension.]
- 1. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- Primogeniture can not have any pretense to a right of solely inheriting property or power. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
- I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]
- 2. The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging C[ae]sar's death. [1913 Webster]
- 3. That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint. [1913 Webster]
- Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretense Of proffered peace, delude the Latian prince. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Intention; design. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- A very pretense and purpose of unkindness. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Note: See the Note under Offense. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: Mask; appearance; color; show; pretext; excuse.
- Usage: Pretense, Pretext. A pretense is something held out as real when it is not so, thus falsifying the truth. A pretext is something woven up in order to cover or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or reasons. Pretext is often, but not always, used in a bad sense. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'pretense'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- acting,
- affectation,
- affectedness,
- air,
- airs,
- airs and graces,
- alibi,
- apology,
- appearance,
- appurtenance,
- artificiality,
- attitudinizing,
- authority,
- birthright,
- blind,
- bluff,
- bluffing,
- charade,
- cheating,
- claim,
- cloak,
- color,
- coloring,
- conjugal right,
- cover,
- cover story,
- cover-up,
- deceit,
- deception,
- delusion,
- demand,
- device,
- disguise,
- dissemblance,
- dissembling,
- dissimulation,
- divine right,
- droit,
- due,
- excuse,
- explanation,
- facade,
- face,
- faculty,
- fake,
- fakery,
- faking,
- false air,
- false front,
- false show,
- falsity,
- feigned belief,
- feigning,
- feint,
- four-flushing,
- fraud,
- front,
- gilt,
- gloss,
- guise,
- handle,
- humbug,
- humbuggery,
- hypocrisy,
- image,
- imposture,
- inalienable right,
- insincerity,
- interest,
- lame excuse,
- locus standi,
- loftiness,
- lofty affectations,
- make-believe,
- mannerism,
- mask,
- masquerade,
- mere show,
- meretriciousness,
- natural right,
- ostensible motive,
- ostent,
- ostentation,
- ostentatiousness,
- outward show,
- pageant,
- playacting,
- poor excuse,
- pose,
- posing,
- posture,
- power,
- prerogative,
- prescription,
- presumptive right,
- pretension,
- pretentiousness,
- pretext,
- proper claim,
- property right,
- protestation,
- prunes and prisms,
- public image,
- public motive,
- put-off,
- put-on,
- putting on airs,
- rational ground,
- rationale,
- reason,
- reason for,
- reason why,
- refuge,
- representation,
- right,
- screen,
- seeming,
- semblance,
- sham,
- show,
- simulacrum,
- simulation,
- smoke screen,
- speciousness,
- stalking-horse,
- stated cause,
- stratagem,
- stylishness,
- subterfuge,
- the big idea,
- the idea,
- the whatfor,
- the wherefore,
- the why,
- title,
- trick,
- underlying reason,
- unnaturalness,
- varnish,
- veil,
- vested interest,
- vested right,
- window dressing