pretense
noun
pretending or feigning; make-believe.
pretenses
-
pluralof pretense.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Barofsky said Fain declared under false pretenses that Boyer had been derelict in his duties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Both suspects were arrested following the search and now face multiple felony charges, including grand theft, receiving stolen property and theft by false pretenses, according to authorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
It helps, too, that, by the nature of the film’s long-winded narrative structure, we’re able to witness the pretenses between Mary and Sam slowly fall away.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
But that news is tempered by the drumbeat of reports from the other end of the airport, where scores of arriving travelers have been detained in frightening conditions and under flimsy pretenses.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2025
“I suppose we all come under false pretenses one way or another, don’t we? It was best not to tell me. I probably wouldn’t have let you in.”
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
