Pretend (Verb)
Meaning 1
Put forward a claim and assert right or possession of; "pretend the title of King".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- He attempted to pretend a noble title but was quickly exposed as a charlatan.
- The pretender to the throne claimed the rightful inheritance of the kingdom.
- Several claimants pretended the throne but were unable to prove their legitimacy.
- The usurper pretended the title of emperor and wielded great power for a time.
- Many in the crowd pretended the crown of nobility despite being commoners.
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Meaning 2
State insincerely; "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She pretended not to have known the suspect in the investigation.
- He often pretends to be a celebrity when introducing himself to people.
- The corrupt politician pretended to care about the welfare of the citizens.
- She pretends to be an expert on wine, but in reality, she has no idea.
- The con artist pretended to be a representative of the charity organization.
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Meaning 3
Behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- He started to pretend a British accent just to impress his crush.
- She would pretend that everything is fine but secretly she's struggling.
- They pretended to have a perfectly normal family when the social worker visited.
- The pop star pretended to be modest about her recent success in the interview.
- It's obvious he's just pretending to care about the environment to look good on social media.
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Meaning 4
Put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation; "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- I pretend that the latest sales figures indicate an overall decline in the market.
- I cannot pretend to know the exact cause of the recent phenomena of rising healthcare costs.
- She pretends that the company is doing better than it actually is financially.
- I don't pretend to be an expert on foreign policy but even I can see the obvious flaws in the plan.
- I pretend to have some insight into why the investors made such a bold move.
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Meaning 5
Represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She pretended to be a doctor on the television show but in reality she was an actress.
- The children liked to pretend they were pirates sailing across the seas.
- The kids in the class were told to pretend they were animals in the jungle for their school play.
- She pretends to be her idol when she sings in front of her friends.
- He pretends to be a superhero to comfort his little sister when she gets scared.
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Meaning 6
Make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She tried to pretend she had lost her job just to get sympathy from her friends.
- The accused will likely pretend to be insane to avoid prison time.
- He began to pretend a British accent in hopes of impressing the woman.
- The politician will pretend to have the citizens' best interests at heart during the speech.
- Her husband did not believe her, thinking she would only pretend to have a sudden illness to get out of the family gathering.