🇬🇧🇨🇳 pretence - 虚伪 : English Lesson

Meaning of "pretence" ("虚伪"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

Pretence is when you act like something is true or real even though you know it isn’t, like when you play pretend, put on an act, or try to fool someone for fun or to hide how you really feel.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

With serious pretence, Omar announced he was a world-famous chef and then proudly served his dish: plain toast.

Lucy adopted a British accent under the pretence that it made her better at spelling, and suddenly “color” became “colour, darling.”

Under the pretence of “scientific research,” Ben licked every kind of ice cream in the freezer to see which one was the coldest.

With great pretence, the goldfish stared at everyone like it knew all their secrets, but really it just wanted more flakes.

Under the noble pretence of “exercising,” Grandpa walked to the fridge 12 times, scientifically proving that snacking is his favorite sport.

A child put a paper crown on her head and spoke in a deep voice by the kitchen light, a bright pretence. Her brother joined, adding a rough, playful pretence. Their mother watched, hands on the washcloth, smiling at the small pretence and the pretence of safety. When the crown slipped, pretence ended and real laughter filled the room.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.