SEMBLANCE Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

semblance

noun

ˈsem-blən(t)s

Definition of semblance

as in pretense

a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive tried to project some semblance of confidence even though public speaking terrified her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in appearance

outward and often deceptive indication a used-car dealer with only a semblance of honesty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of semblance Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Jones suggested that Armand achieved some semblance of closure. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 Part of the job, Shakira says, is maintaining some semblance of normalcy. — Emma Banks, InStyle, 19 July 2026 With their winning streak back at zero, San Francisco will once again try to create the momentum necessary to vault themselves back into any semblance of contention. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 July 2026 There are no guarantees in life, but that hasn’t stopped mankind from consistently searching for some semblance of security. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for semblance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for semblance

Noun

Holden eagerly rebels against Pencey Prep, gets the boot, and flees to New York City, a place with its own vices and hazards, but without the sort of propaganda and pretense that obscure the school’s dark underside.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Johnson created the story of Nancy (Emilia Jones), who is not a girlfriend, but a crush who Bourdain foolhardily (and under false pretenses) follows to Provincetown after not getting a writing fellowship.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of pretense

Noun

These are contributed viewpoints rather than official World Economic Forum research conclusions, but their appearance on the platform reflects a real shift, since the conversation is no longer limited to what AI will do to work.

— Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Gary hasn’t been tremendously present around the Raiders since Klint got the job — this was his first public appearance at a practice.

— Sam Warren, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of appearance

Noun

One such building—the impressive Art-Nouveau mansion that now houses the Egyptian consulate—sits majestically beside the bay, handsomely showing off its columned façade and ornate wrought-iron railings following a complete restoration in 2010.

— CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
The façade was lighted from below by the exterior lights that specified the building, separated it from the other night buildings.

— Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of facade

Noun

The only new face that does demand a lot of attention so far is a prickly new assistant coach, Alice (an excellent Tanya Reynolds).

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
The event included a bounce castle, food truck, pony rides, face-painting, the Aurora Public Library bookmobile and more.

— David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of face

Noun

Somewhere between a sandal and a ballet flat, caged silhouettes come in all manner of guises.

— Sarah Leigh Bannerman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Everything from the division of the Peaches and the Plums to Shamea’s tagline this season is a secret cry from Shamea to Porsha, begging for attention under the guise of her own emancipation.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026

Definition of guise

Noun

The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.

— Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
The early impressions of Downs were encapsulated in one moment during the team’s first training camp practice on Wednesday.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of impression

Noun

The series’ pilot, co-written by show creators Ellis and Ryan Murphy, does an admirable job of introducing the characters and their fraught dynamics along with the threat of a murderer known only as the Trawler.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
Taylor Farms is one of the nation’s biggest vegetable producers, and its Mexican subsidiaries are the source of more shipments of vegetable and salad products into the US than any other single manufacturer in the world, FDA import data shows.

— Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of show

Browse Nearby Words

semaphores

semblance

semblances

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“Semblance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semblance. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of semblance

noun

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