1
as in to pose
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
I pretended that I didn't care that my ex had a new man in her life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to assume
to present a false appearance of
as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
if you were to see the movie's pretend jewels in real life, you wouldn't be fooled for a minute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
it's just a pretend gun, so please pretend that I got you and play dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretend
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 20 May 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, isn’t even pretending to be cooperative.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Devonne Goode, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025
Note: the premier seaview studio is perfect for a pretend, lusty honeymoon escape as the oversized king bed was positioned for maximum sea-view appreciation (and espresso in bed in the mornings).
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Verb
An alive Isobel in turn revealed herself to Keane, pretended to want in on Forefront, and snitched on JOC’s whereabouts to prove her disloyalty.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 20 May 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, isn’t even pretending to be cooperative.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Adjective
The recalled Brunch & Go Stroller Toy features a pretend piece of avocado toast and three attachments: a mirror tomato, a crinkle bacon, and an egg teether.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025
Note: the premier seaview studio is perfect for a pretend, lusty honeymoon escape as the oversized king bed was positioned for maximum sea-view appreciation (and espresso in bed in the mornings).
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretend
Verb
-
Insular cultures produce groupthink, don’t evolve as fast as others, and thus pose an existential threat to organizations.—
George Bradt,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
In one snap, Watts and the Ray Donovan star, 57, posed together for a selfie with their son, who wore a dark suit and boutonniere, in the middle.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown agreed this spring not to assume anything with McCarthy.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
The industry assumes engine testing has to happen in remote areas.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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The original Universal Studios Orlando mimicked a Hollywood backlot, with soundstages and faux New York streets.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2025
-
Made of faux leather, the fabric is high-quality, water-resistant, and cruelty-free.—
Izzy Baskette,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Draw an imaginary line from the magnitude 2.3 star Merak, which forms the outer base of the 'bowl', through Dubhe, the star positioned as the 'pouring tip' of the asterism.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
-
The mastermind behind covert action, Frank Wisner, never paused to consider that his cure for defeating an imaginary worldwide communist conspiracy was worse than the disease.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
Both Earps and Hampton have played a very similar number of minutes and faced a very similar number of shots, but Earps’ shot-stopping has not been as strong, conceding 1.6 goals more than expected, based on the quality of shots faced.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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Baty plays second base on days when Vientos starts at the hot corner, and Vientos gets DH days to get Baty at third.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
The 100,000-ton warship left Yokosuka naval base earlier this week, while its naval aviators were conducting field carrier landing practice on a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, simulating landings on the George Washington's flight deck to obtain landing qualifications.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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With measurements from the eye, researchers were able to create both anatomical and perceptual models to simulate humpback whale perception.—
Stephanie Edwards,
Discover Magazine,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Later, it's revealed that Phelps didn't die at all, and his fake death was a setup to frame Ethan.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
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Billy Joel cancels concert tour dates and reveals health diagnosis Cop partied, ran races while collecting $600,000 for fake injury, DA says In: New Jersey New Jersey State Police Genetic Genealogy Kerry Breen Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com.—
May 23,
CBS News,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Scheme To carry out the fraud scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious employers and lists of alleged employees—those lists were generated using personally identifiable information (PII) gleaned from thousands of identity theft victims.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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The girl is in the Brazilian capital, but the headset transports her to a fictitious Indigenous village in the Atlantic rainforest, where capybaras and jaguars dart across the landscape.—
Constance Malleret,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretend. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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