Veneer

— /vəˈnɪə(r)/, /vəˈnɪr/ a formal n; an outer appearance of a particular quality that hides the true nature of sb/sth.
— You know how some furniture looks like solid oak or maple until it gets chipped and reveals itself to be nothing more than some cheap
particle-board covered with a thin layer of fancy wood? That thin layer is called a veneer. A veneer can be anything that makes something look
more elegant or attractive than it is. Originally it was a furniture word, but over time its meaning expanded.

Collocations:
— Your/a veneer of
politeness/respectability/knowledge/education/expertise/concern/kindness/calm/composure/courage/confidence/stoicism/tolerance/sweetness/courtage
control/civilisation/civility/modesty/innocence/legitimacy
— Behind/beneath/under/underneath a/the civilised veneer there is…; Sth is just a pure veneer; Your (paper-)thin veneer of sth can crack/peel
off(away)/flake off/fall away/wear thin; You acquire/maintain a/the veneer of sth to hide/mask sth else; You peel away/shatter a/the veneer of sth
to reveal sth else

Examples to get a better feel of how it’s used:

His ethics are pure veneer. Cambridge
That veneer is likely to peel off. Collins
My veneer of calm is wearing thin. Collins
Her veneer of politeness began to crack. Oxford
Her veneer of composure cracked a little. Google
A cruel person with a veneer of kindliness. Collins
She dropped her veneer of sophistication. Britannica
They're brutal people behind their civilized veneer. Oxford
The thin veneer of apparent normality is cracking up. Economist
He was able to fool the world with his veneer of education. Collins
The lyrics strip the veneer of respectability from the music. Oxford
Under this thin veneer of modesty lies a monster of greed. Longman
A thin veneer of politeness hid Lady Bride’s growing anger. Longman
He concealed his darker side behind a veneer of respectability. Oxford
She was playing the tough businesswoman but it was a thin veneer. Collins
Beneath the veneer of tranquillity, a feeling of dread prevails. New York Times
I was afraid alcohol would eat through the thin veneer of self-control. Longman
But the veneer of normality is easily, and frequently, shattered. New York Times
She managed to hide her corrupt dealings under a veneer of respectability. Cambridge
He managed to acquire a thin veneer of knowledge to mask his real ignorance. Oxford
Rage ignited in his eyes, the calm veneer dropping away. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
His super-clean image gave a veneer of respectability to the new professional set-up. Collins
They are used to give a veneer of legitimacy to big business that profits from outsourcing. Collins
They have stripped the veneer of jingoism from the play, by showing war in its true horror. Oxford
There are certain areas where all men lose their veneer of civilisation and give vent to the beast within. Collins
Students have always worn a veneer of poverty, slurping ramen noodles and sporting thrift-store fashion. New York Times
Humans were wired for destruction — violence supposedly hid inside everyone, just beneath a thin veneer of civilization. M-W
Most novelists prefer to maintain a distance between themselves and their characters; it preserves a veneer of sanity. The Guardian
What is required ethically is honesty: self-interest should not, so far as possible, be hidden under a veneer of concern for others. Cambridge
If someone smiles at you while making some passive-aggressive remark, like, "Gee, you actually look really nice today," you could say that her
inner meanness is showing through her veneer of sweetness. Vocabulary

Veneer 1