false show

But the false show of bravado helped propel Wallace into the governorship in 1962.

From Time Magazine Archive

Everything that the garish daylight shows, which can never show them the depths of the other's heart, is a false show, an ugly delusion.

From The Wagnerian Romances by Gertrude Hall Brownell

Simple honesty is preferable to false show in all cases; truthfulness in utterance is always to be desired.

From Principles of Decorative Design Fourth Edition by Christopher Dresser

He told them that if he were ruler over the land every man should have all that he wanted, and deceived many by a false show of friendship.

From Child's Story of the Bible by Mary A. (Mary Artemisia) Lathbury

I could not choose but think that the Evil One had deceived me with a false show, yet, however hard I rubbed my eyes, rye it was and rye it remained.

From Mary Schweidler, the amber witch : the most interesting trial for witchcraft ever known, printed from an imperfect manuscript by her father, Abraham Schweidler, the pastor of Coserow in the island of Usedom / edited by W. Meinhold ; translated from the German by Lady Duff Gordon. by Lady Lucie Duff Gordon