Pretense (noun)

1. The act of pretending or giving the impression of something.
2. An false or insincere show of having a particular feeling or quality.

Origin:

From the latin praetensio, from praetendere, from prae- ("before") + tendere ("to stretc.h")

Examples:

1. He made a pretense of studying, but he was actually just wasting time.
2. The company's pretense of being eco-friendly was exposed when they were caught polluting the river.
3. She made a pretense of being interested in the conversation, but she was actually daydreaming.
4. The team's pretense of unity was shattered when the players started to argue in public.
5. He made a pretense of being a good listener, but he never remembered anything that was said.