keep up appearances
Maintain social facade
To keep up appearances is to maintain an outward show of prosperity, respectability, or normalcy despite private difficulties.
The phrase implies a gap between public presentation and private reality—financial troubles hidden behind a nice house, a failing marriage masked by polite behavior at parties: They kept up appearances for the children's sake.
Deceptive outward show
- veneerDecorative outer layer
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- frontForward-facing side
show · pose · semblance · affectation · gloss · smokescreen · cover-up · airs
Fraudulent imitation
- fakeryDeliberate deception or pretense
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- hypocrisyPretense of virtue
- feigningPretending to feel something
artifice · deceit · fabrication · falsehood · subterfuge · dissembling · insincerity · double life
Beliefs about future outcomes
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- conformityAdherence to norms
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- obligationRequired task or commitment
societal norms · gossip · neighbors · reputation management · fitting in · propriety · decorum · social standing
Reputation commanding admiration
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
- respectabilityMoral and social worthiness
- standingPosition, physical or social
- esteemFavorable opinion of worth
rank · stature · face · honor · dignity · social position · class · image
Excessive stretching force
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
- burdenOppressive weight or duty
tension · performance · pretending · isolation · loneliness · emotional labor · burnout · silent suffering
Satisfaction from one's achievements
- egoOne's self-image
- self-imageOne's view of oneself
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
hauteur · airs and graces · snobbery · ostentation · showing off · grandeur · self-importance · pomposity
pretense
Deceptive outward show
- veneerDecorative outer layer
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
front · show · pose · semblance · affectation · gloss · smokescreen · cover-up · airs · guise
sham
Fraudulent imitation
- fakeryDeliberate deception or pretense
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- hypocrisyPretense of virtue
feigning · artifice · deceit · fabrication · falsehood · subterfuge · dissembling · insincerity · double life · concealment
expectations
Beliefs about future outcomes
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- conformityAdherence to norms
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
obligation · societal norms · gossip · neighbors · reputation management · fitting in · propriety · decorum · social standing · peer pressure
prestige
Reputation commanding admiration
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
- respectabilityMoral and social worthiness
- standingPosition, physical or social
esteem · rank · stature · face · honor · dignity · social position · class · image · profile
strain
Excessive stretching force
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
burden · tension · performance · pretending · isolation · loneliness · emotional labor · burnout · silent suffering
pride
Satisfaction from one's achievements
- egoOne's self-image
- self-imageOne's view of oneself
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
arrogance · hauteur · airs and graces · snobbery · ostentation · showing off · grandeur · self-importance · pomposity
- social conformityconformist, peer pressure, herd mentality, groupthink, follow the crowd
keep up appearancesbe authentic
Act without pretense
show one's true colors · drop the mask · be oneself · be yourself · be honest
keep up appearanceswash one's dirty linen in public
Reveal private matters publicly
air dirty laundry · let it all hang out · bare one's soul · come clean · expose oneself
keep up appearanceslet oneself go
Cease self-restraint
throw caution to the wind · not give a damn · march to one's own drum
appearance, keeps, keeping, keeper, keepers, upkeep, upping, upper, upward