/ Dictionary / Index P pretense: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: pre•tense Pronunciation: (pri-tens', prē'tens), [key] — n. 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 fol. by to): destitute of any pretense to wit. pretentiousness. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: pretense (Thesaurus) pretender pretension Related Content Daily Word Quiz: immense Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language