charade

Pronunciation

Noun B1 Intermediate

A pretense or act that is obviously false, put on to create a misleading impression.

"Everyone at the office could see through the charade of a friendly handshake."

Synonyms and antonyms

pretense farce

Also the name of a guessing game, usually plural, "charades," a different but related sense.

Which word fits the gap? "Everyone at the office could see through the _____ of a friendly handshake."

Answer: charade

In your own words, what does "charade" mean?

A pretense or act that is obviously false, put on to create a misleading impression.