the.com/pretense
A claim you wear like a costume, hoping nobody checks the receipts.
means A false appearance, excuse, or claim made to deceive or to justify something.
from From Latin praetendere, to stretch forth or hold out before — literally putting something in front to hide what's behind.
Spelling splitPretense in America, pretence across the Atlantic.
Legal teethFalse pretenses is an actual prosecutable crime.
Pretension cousinSame root, but aimed at impressing rather than deceiving.