feigning

[ fey-ning ]

noun

1. the act of pretending or putting on a show in order to deceive:

   The feigning of hurt feelings is just a manipulative ploy she uses.

adjective

1. putting on a show in order to deceive; pretending:

   “It hurts,” moaned the feigning child on the floor, gripping her ankle in a convincing display of pain.

Other Words From

• feign·ing·ly adverb
• un·feign·ing adjective
• un·feign·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of feigning¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; feign ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun; feign ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

Right-wing commentators spent an entire day feigning outrage that ABC’s debate moderators dared to challenge at least a few of the ex-president’s blatantly false assertions.

From Salon

Whether in denial of just feigning it, the impact of such entreaties is likely to be the same.

From Salon

Then, feigning originalism in Dobbs, they vitiated Equal Protection, elevating the legal rights of zygotes over those of living, breathing women, citing 12th-century mores when men like Alito burned women like me at the stake.

From Salon

Before we know it, we are negotiating for the remaining last bites, feigning confusion over how it could be that only a small bit is left.

From Salon

We listen to newly released albums and watch awards ceremonies as an ensemble, feigning authority over the careers of depraved celebrities, sometimes earning that power to cancel, at least briefly, perhaps to everyone’s detriment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deceptive
• duplicitous
• false
• insincere
• sanctimonious
• self-righteous
• unnatural