There are innumerable synonyms for the expression 'hollow pretense,' which means a sham that has no substance or credibility. Some relevant words are facade, farce, charade, pose, show, masquerade, front, simulation, put-on, and pretension. Other words that likewise convey an insincere show or a false pretense are sham, fake, phony, counterfeit, fraudulent, spurious, specious, deceptive, delusive, and feigned. These words all suggest a superficial and usually deceptive appearance, aimed at misleading others or concealing the truth. In short, 'hollow pretense' is a compound noun that captures the essence of a myriad of words that denote an insincere or deceptive representation of something.