Pretence
noun
An attempt to make something seem true even though it's not, commonly to deceive others.
She made a pretence of being interested in the topic to please her professor.
Often appears as...
- under the pretence of
- make a pretence
noun
The act of pretending or false show of something.
He was arrested for pretence of a police officer.
Often appears as...
- pretence to the throne
- under the pretence
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
noun
An attempt to make something seem true even though it's not, commonly to deceive others.
She made a pretence of being interested in the topic to please her professor.
Often appears as...
- under the pretence of
- make a pretence
noun
The act of pretending or false show of something.
He was arrested for pretence of a police officer.
Often appears as...
- pretence to the throne
- under the pretence
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Deceptive Intention
Pretence often implies a purposeful deception.
He made a pretence of forgetting her birthday to surprise her with a party.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While often associated with deceit, pretence can be used humorously or benignly.
They kept up the pretence of Santa Claus for the children's enjoyment.
Pro Tip 3/3Hollow Emotions
Pretence involves displaying emotions or reactions that are not genuinely felt.
Under pretence of sorrow, he actually felt relieved.
Pro Tip 1/3Deceptive Intention
Pretence often implies a purposeful deception.
He made a pretence of forgetting her birthday to surprise her with a party.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While often associated with deceit, pretence can be used humorously or benignly.
They kept up the pretence of Santa Claus for the children's enjoyment.
Pro Tip 3/3Hollow Emotions
Pretence involves displaying emotions or reactions that are not genuinely felt.
Under pretence of sorrow, he actually felt relieved.
Pro Tip 1/3Deceptive Intention
Pretence often implies a purposeful deception.
He made a pretence of forgetting her birthday to surprise her with a party.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While often associated with deceit, pretence can be used humorously or benignly.
They kept up the pretence of Santa Claus for the children's enjoyment.
Pro Tip 3/3Hollow Emotions
Pretence involves displaying emotions or reactions that are not genuinely felt.
Under pretence of sorrow, he actually felt relieved.
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Video examples
Ugly History: The U.S....
While the researchers planned to observe how syphilis would progress with minimal treatment, participants were told they would receive free drugs and care for their condition. At first, researchers gave the men existing treatments, but these were soon replaced with placebos. Under the false pretense of providing a special remedy,
Video examples
The dark history of the...
Flooded with requests for change, she authored a new constitution. But before she introduced it, the so-called “Committee of Safety,” a new organization that consisted of many Missionary Party members, hatched another plot. Under the false pretense that this new constitution
Video examples
Scientific Accuracy in...
they miss you you be intrigued by that that may be their costume designer got it wrong that's kind of interesting I think it gets you a little closer to the film to the making of the film and and and the creativity of the people engaged if a movie has no pretense of getting
Video examples
How one person saved...
on the pretense of checking for typhus outbreaks. At first, her group worked to smuggle in resources with the help of sympathetic Polish officials and the medical underground. But as desperate parents began sending their children through sewers and over walls,
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
They grow up to be women who silence themselves. They grow up to be women who cannot say what they truly think, and they grow up -- and this is the worst thing we did to girls -- they grow up to be women who have turned pretense into an art form.
Video examples
Take "the Other" to...
Will the heavens open and "We are the World" play over the restaurant sound system? Probably not. Because ubuntu work is slow, and it's difficult. It's two people dropping the pretense of being know-it-alls.
Video examples
My friend Richard...
the truth of the matter the truth of the matter is that a Fineman sandwich had a load of ham but absolutely no baloney we're fine men hated worse than anything else was intellectual pretense phone
Video examples
The greatest TED Talk...
sergey brin no this this was the problem transparency free from pretense or deceit easily detected or seen through readily understood characterized by visibility or accessibility of
Video examples
Morgan Spurlock: The...
This is was the transparency -- free from pretense or deceit; easily detected or seen through; readily understood; characterized by visibility or accessibility of information,
Video examples
Leonard Susskind: My...
The truth of the matter is that a Feynman sandwich had a load of ham, but absolutely no baloney. What Feynman hated worse than anything else was intellectual pretense --
Video examples
Ugly History: The U.S....
While the researchers planned to observe how syphilis would progress with minimal treatment, participants were told they would receive free drugs and care for their condition. At first, researchers gave the men existing treatments, but these were soon replaced with placebos. Under the false pretense of providing a special remedy,
Video examples
The dark history of the...
Flooded with requests for change, she authored a new constitution. But before she introduced it, the so-called “Committee of Safety,” a new organization that consisted of many Missionary Party members, hatched another plot. Under the false pretense that this new constitution
Video examples
Scientific Accuracy in...
they miss you you be intrigued by that that may be their costume designer got it wrong that's kind of interesting I think it gets you a little closer to the film to the making of the film and and and the creativity of the people engaged if a movie has no pretense of getting
Video examples
How one person saved...
on the pretense of checking for typhus outbreaks. At first, her group worked to smuggle in resources with the help of sympathetic Polish officials and the medical underground. But as desperate parents began sending their children through sewers and over walls,
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
They grow up to be women who silence themselves. They grow up to be women who cannot say what they truly think, and they grow up -- and this is the worst thing we did to girls -- they grow up to be women who have turned pretense into an art form.
Video examples
Take "the Other" to...
Will the heavens open and "We are the World" play over the restaurant sound system? Probably not. Because ubuntu work is slow, and it's difficult. It's two people dropping the pretense of being know-it-alls.
Video examples
My friend Richard...
the truth of the matter the truth of the matter is that a Fineman sandwich had a load of ham but absolutely no baloney we're fine men hated worse than anything else was intellectual pretense phone
Video examples
The greatest TED Talk...
sergey brin no this this was the problem transparency free from pretense or deceit easily detected or seen through readily understood characterized by visibility or accessibility of
Video examples
Morgan Spurlock: The...
This is was the transparency -- free from pretense or deceit; easily detected or seen through; readily understood; characterized by visibility or accessibility of information,
Video examples
Leonard Susskind: My...
The truth of the matter is that a Feynman sandwich had a load of ham, but absolutely no baloney. What Feynman hated worse than anything else was intellectual pretense --
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Giles Deacon
British Designer
People often think that the world fashion is so full of a certain pretense that it can't just be about going for something because it suits you and looks great, and it's nicely cut and is made of beautiful fabric. You know, if it has a bit of lightness and playfulness to it, then I think people just respond to that really well.
Quote examples
Arianna Huffington
American Journalist
It would be futile to attempt to fit women into a masculine pattern of attitudes, skills and abilities and disastrous to force them to suppress their specifically female characteristics and abilities by keeping up the pretense that there are no differences between the sexes.
Quote examples
William Adams
English Explorer
If our countries had war the one with the other, that was no cause that he should put us to death; with which they were out of heart that their cruel pretense failed them. For which God be forever-more praised.
Quote examples
Sarita Choudhury
English Actress
See, all actors pretend. I enjoy that pretence. I don't wear heels in real life, but if it is for a character, I love to get into the traits of the person I am playing.
Quote examples
Zebulon Pike
American Soldier
Give immediate instruction to all your posts in said territory, under your direction, at no time and on no pretence to hoist, or suffer be hoisted, the English flag.
Quote examples
Tony Gilroy
American Writer
I love the idea of spies in love. How would it work between two people who were so programmed to lie and be suspicious, who have a whole life based on pretence?
Quote examples
Mario Vargas Llosa
Peruvian Writer
I love stories, and my life is principally concentrated on stories, but not with a pretense of scientific precision.
Quote examples
Tennessee Williams
American Dramatist
Most of the confidence which I appear to feel, especially when influenced by noon wine, is only a pretense.
Quote examples
John Buchan
Scottish Politician
Civilization is a conspiracy. Modern life is the silent compact of comfortable folk to keep up pretences.
Quote examples
Vikrant Massey
Indian Actor
I want to remove the curtain of pretence from all of my characters.
Quote examples
Giles Deacon
British Designer
People often think that the world fashion is so full of a certain pretense that it can't just be about going for something because it suits you and looks great, and it's nicely cut and is made of beautiful fabric. You know, if it has a bit of lightness and playfulness to it, then I think people just respond to that really well.
Quote examples
Arianna Huffington
American Journalist
It would be futile to attempt to fit women into a masculine pattern of attitudes, skills and abilities and disastrous to force them to suppress their specifically female characteristics and abilities by keeping up the pretense that there are no differences between the sexes.
Quote examples
William Adams
English Explorer
If our countries had war the one with the other, that was no cause that he should put us to death; with which they were out of heart that their cruel pretense failed them. For which God be forever-more praised.
Quote examples
Sarita Choudhury
English Actress
See, all actors pretend. I enjoy that pretence. I don't wear heels in real life, but if it is for a character, I love to get into the traits of the person I am playing.
Quote examples
Zebulon Pike
American Soldier
Give immediate instruction to all your posts in said territory, under your direction, at no time and on no pretence to hoist, or suffer be hoisted, the English flag.
Quote examples
Tony Gilroy
American Writer
I love the idea of spies in love. How would it work between two people who were so programmed to lie and be suspicious, who have a whole life based on pretence?
Quote examples
Mario Vargas Llosa
Peruvian Writer
I love stories, and my life is principally concentrated on stories, but not with a pretense of scientific precision.
Quote examples
Tennessee Williams
American Dramatist
Most of the confidence which I appear to feel, especially when influenced by noon wine, is only a pretense.
Quote examples
John Buchan
Scottish Politician
Civilization is a conspiracy. Modern life is the silent compact of comfortable folk to keep up pretences.
Quote examples
Vikrant Massey
Indian Actor
I want to remove the curtain of pretence from all of my characters.
Example 1 of 10
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