hollow pretense

Former French colonies have been “champions of coups” as well as champions of a hollow pretense at “constitutional order” and democracy, said Ndongo Samba Sylla, coauthor of a new book on France and its former African colonies.

The scene before me was a hollow pretense of grandeur and gaiety.

He needed money—money to fight with, money to live on, money to keep up his hollow pretense of respectability.

The trial of the cardinal was farcical, and a very hollow pretense of a just trial.

We must show them the false foundation and the hollow pretense upon which such schemes are founded.