Pretense
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A false or hypocritical profession, as, under pretense of friendliness; sham, pretext, claim; an effort to give some appearance or mislead.
Example sentence: The pretentiousness of literature really annoys me; the way a writer is held as this sort of magical person to be revered on the stage. Everything I do on tour is to try and destroy that pretense.
Pretence
Part of speech: noun
Definition: An act of pretending or pretension; a false claim or pretext.
Example sentence: We may not commit a lesser Sin under pretence to avoid a greater, but we may, nay we ought to endure the greatest Pain and Grief rather than commit the least Sin.