pretext vs semblance

pretext and semblance both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pretext	Yes	No	No	No
semblance	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, semblance is a hypernym of pretext; that is, semblance is a word with a broader meaning than pretext:

pretext: an artful or simulated semblance
semblance: an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading

Other hypernyms of pretext include color, colour, gloss.

pretext (noun)	semblance (noun)
an artful or simulated semblance	picture consisting of a graphic image of a person or thing
something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason	an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading
	an erroneous mental representation