pretending or feigning; make-believe: My sleepiness was all pretense.
a false show of something: a pretense of friendship.
a piece of make-believe.
the act of pretending or alleging falsely.
a false allegation or justification: He excused himself from the lunch on a pretense of urgent business.
insincere or false profession: His pious words were mere pretense.
the putting forth of an unwarranted claim.
the claim itself.
any allegation or claim: to obtain money under false pretenses.
pretension (usually followed by to): destitute of any pretense to wit.
pretentiousness.
Also British, pre·tence .
Origin of pretense
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from unattested Medieval Latin praetēnsa, noun use of feminine of praetēnsus, past participle (replacing Latin praetentus ) of praetendere “to put forward, stretch forth, pretend”; see origin at pretend