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Pretense, or pretence, is the act of presenting an external appearance or claim that is not in accordance with reality. It encompasses deliberate feigning of a feeling, motive, or situation, as well as the social performance of behavior intended to be taken as genuine by others. The word exists in two spellings: pretense in American English and pretence in British English. The related verb is to pretend.

Pretense is used in everyday interactions, in which people may show politeness, bluff in games, or adopt attitudes to fit a situation. It can also refer to theatrical acting or role-playing, where the pretense is intentional and understood as performative rather than truthful. While some pretense serves social or artistic purposes, other forms can involve deception that ranges from harmless to harmful.

In psychology and developmental contexts, pretend play in children is a distinct, constructive activity in which objects are used to symbolically represent others. In literature and film, pretense often drives plots through disguises or misrepresentations that create dramatic tension or reveal character truth upon revelation.

See also: deception, acting, facade, impression management, feigning.