(n.) The front of a building; esp., the principal front, having some architectural pretensions. Thus a church is said to have its facade unfinished, though the interior may be in use.

acting affectation affectedness airs airs and graces alibi anteriority apology apparent character appearance appearances artificiality attitudinizing blind bluff bluffing bold front border brave face brave front cheating circumference cloak color coloring cortex cover cover story cover-up covering crust deception delusion device disguise display dissemblance dissembling dissimulation envelope epidermis excuse exterior exteriors external external appearance externals face facet facia fakery faking false air false front false show falsity feigned belief feigning feint fore forefront foreground forehand foreland forepart forequarter foreside foreword four-flushing fraud fringe front front elevation front man front matter front page front view frontage frontal frontier frontispiece gaudiness gilt gloss guise handle head heading humbug humbuggery hypocrisy image imposture insincerity integument lame excuse lap lineaments locus standi mannerism mask masquerade mere externals mere show meretriciousness obverse ostensible motive ostent ostentation outer face outer layer outer side outer skin outline outside outward appearance outward show periphery playacting poor excuse pose posing posture preface prefix pretense pretension pretext priority proscenium protestation prunes and prisms public image public motive put-off put-on putting on airs refuge representation rind screen seeming semblance sham shell show simulacrum simulation skin smoke screen speciousness stalking-horse stratagem stylishness subterfuge superficiality superficies superstratum surface surface appearance surface show top trick unnaturalness vain show varnish veil veneer window dressing