pretend

[ pri-tend ]

verb (used with object)

1. to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so:

   to pretend illness; to pretend that nothing is wrong.

   Synonyms: counterfeit, sham, fake, simulate

2. to appear falsely, as to deceive; feign:

   to pretend to go to sleep.

3. to make believe:

   The children pretended to be cowboys.

4. to presume; venture:

   I can't pretend to say what went wrong.

5. to allege or profess, especially insincerely or falsely:

   He pretended to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.

verb (used without object)

1. to make believe.
2. to lay claim to (usually followed by to ):

   She pretended to the throne.

3. to make pretensions (usually followed by to ):

   He pretends to great knowledge.

4. Obsolete. to aspire, as a suitor or candidate (followed by to ).

adjective

1. Informal. make-believe; simulated; counterfeit:

   pretend diamonds.

pretend

/ prɪˈtɛnd /

verb

1. when tr, usually takes a clause as object or an infinitive to claim or allege (something untrue)
2. tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive to make believe, as in a play

   you pretend to be Ophelia

3. intrfoll byto to present a claim, esp a dubious one

   to pretend to the throne

4. obsolete.
   intrfoll byto to aspire as a candidate or suitor (for)

adjective

1. fanciful; make-believe; simulated

   a pretend gun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pretend¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English pretenden, from Latin praetendere “to stretch forth, put forward, pretend.” See pre-, tend ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pretend¹

C14: from Latin praetendere to stretch forth, feign, from prae in front + tendere to stretch

Synonym Study

Pretend, affect, assume, feign imply an attempt to create a false appearance. To pretend is to create an imaginary characteristic or to play a part: to pretend sorrow. To affect is to make a consciously artificial show of having qualities that one thinks would look well and impress others: to affect shyness. To assume is to take on or put on a specific outward appearance, often (but not always) with intent to deceive: to assume an air of indifference. To feign implies using ingenuity in pretense, and some degree of imitation of appearance or characteristics: to feign surprise.

Example Sentences

Sidhu has also had to fend off scam calls from people pretending to have her dog and demanding the reward money.

From Los Angeles Times

The comedy video and pretend tattoo, which seem a very long way from anything likely to be published by the royal palaces, are intended to grab attention for this winter's Invictus Games.

From BBC

Trump has never even bothered to pretend he cares about anybody’s pain.

From Salon

“A friend of mine was at our house and made an insensitive joke about epilepsy, and pretended to have a seizure,” Leo explained.

From Los Angeles Times

He also once had to pretend to be the British singer when he met his friend's four-year-old son, who was "so insistent that I was really him".

From BBC

Related Words

• assume
• bluff
• feign
• fool
• impersonate
• profess
• purport
• put on