# pretense

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹiːtɛns/ · frequency rank #28,675

## Definitions
1. The action of pretending; false or simulated show or appearance; false or hypocritical assertion or representation.
2. Affectation or ostentation of manner.
3. Intention or purpose not real but professed.
4. An unsupported claim made or implied.
5. An insincere attempt to reach a specific condition or quality.
6. Intention; design.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French pretensse, from Late Latin praetēnsus, past participle of Latin praetendō (“to pretend”), from prae- (“before”) + tendō (“to stretch”); see pretend.

## Easily confused with
- **protease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretense-vs-protease)
- **pretend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-pretense)
- **presence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/presence-vs-pretense)
- **pretence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretence-vs-pretense)
- **pretended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretended-vs-pretense)
- **pretender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretender-vs-pretense)

## Common misspellings (12)
`pertense`, `ppretense`, `preetnse`, `pretenes`, `pretennse`, `pretensse`, `pretesne`, `pretnese`, `prettense`, `prretense`, `prteense`, `rpetense`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pretense