pretend

¹pre·tend

verb \pri-ˈtend\

Definition of PRETEND

transitive verb

1

: to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing <does not pretend to be a psychiatrist>

2

a : to make believe : feign <he pretended deafness> b : to claim, represent, or assert falsely <pretending an emotion he could not really feel>

3

archaic : venture, undertake

intransitive verb

1

: to feign an action, part, or role especially in play

2

: to put in a claim <cannot pretend to any particular expertise — Clive Barnes>

Examples of PRETEND

1. He had a big stain on his shirt, but I pretended not to notice.
2. The children pretended to be asleep.
3. She looked like she was enjoying the party but she was just pretending.
4. It was a mistake, and to pretend otherwise would be foolish.
5. The children were pretending to be animals.
6. He pretended to make a phone call.
7. Let's just pretend for a moment. I'm your boss. What would you say to me?

Origin of PRETEND

Middle English, from Anglo-French pretendre, from Latin praetendere to allege as an excuse, literally, to stretch out, from prae- pre- + tendere to stretch — more at thin

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to PRETEND

Synonyms: dissemble, dissimulate, let on, make out, make a pretense, make a show, make believe, put on an act, put up a front

Related Words: act, impersonate, masquerade, play, playact, pose; affect, assume, counterfeit, fake, feign, profess, put on, sham, simulate; camouflage, conceal, disguise, mask; bluff, feint

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See Synonym Discussion at assume

Rhymes with PRETEND

addend, amend, append, ascend, attend, bartend, befriend, Big Bend, bookend, boyfriend, closed-end, commend, compend, contend, dead end, dead-end, defend, depend, descend, distend, downtrend, emend, expend, extend, fag end, forfend, front-end, girlfriend, Gravesend, headend, high-end, hornblende, impend, intend, Land's End, loose end, low-end, missend, misspend, next friend, no end, offend, on end, Ostend, outspend, perpend, pitchblende, portend, propend, protend, rear-end, resend, sheet bend, South Bend, split end, stipend, subtend, suspend, tag end, tail end, tight end, top-end, transcend, unbend, unkenned, upend, uptrend, weekend, year-end