Act
Act noun - A display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive.
Usage example: was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing
Pretense is a synonym for act in honest topic. In some cases you can use "Pretense" instead a noun "Act", when it comes to topics like pretended behavior.
Pretense
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- Kermit could challenge the marriage under the grounds of false pretense, and given that he was expecting Gonzo to act as the minister, it would almost certainly be successful.
Source: Shrug of God -
Can't Act Perverted Toward a Love Interest - Gleefully inverted; Bones takes great delight in being as crude and as sexually explicit as he can, under the pretense of helping Cat overcome her blushing naivete.
Cite this Source
Pretense and Act. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/pretense
Act & Pretense. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/pretense>.
Pretense or Act. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/pretense.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "act" and "pretense" have occurred on timeline