Pretense

Pronunciation: /prɪˈtɛns/

Definitions of pretense

noun an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true

Example Sentences

A1 She put on a pretense of being happy even though she was sad inside.

A2 The children played make-believe games with a pretense of being pirates.

B1 He maintained a pretense of interest in the conversation, even though he was bored.

B2 The politician's pretense of caring for the environment was quickly exposed as a sham.

C1 Her pretense of innocence fooled no one, as everyone knew she was guilty.

C2 The elaborate pretense of the murder mystery party kept the guests entertained all night.

Examples of pretense in a Sentence

formal She maintained the pretense of being interested in the conversation, even though she was bored.

informal He's just putting on a pretense to seem cool in front of his friends.

slang Stop with the pretense, we all know you're not really that tough.

figurative The smile on her face was just a pretense to hide the pain she was feeling inside.

Grammatical Forms of pretense

• past tense: pretended
• plural: pretenses
• comparative: more pretentious
• superlative: most pretentious
• present tense: pretends
• future tense: will pretend
• perfect tense: have pretended
• continuous tense: is pretending
• singular: pretense
• positive degree: pretense
• infinitive: to pretend
• gerund: pretending
• participle: pretending

Origin and Evolution of pretense

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'pretense' originated from the Latin word 'praetensus', which means 'stretched out' or 'extended'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'pretense' evolved to refer to a false show or claim, often used to deceive others or create a false impression.