as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
it turns out that the guy who claimed to work for a modeling agency was just a pretender
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretender
The speed with which this group develops chemistry and finds that star could determine where the Crimson Tide fall on the spectrum between contender and pretender.
—
Cj Moore, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Carter noted that City Hall office workers will return to their cubicles three days per week as of April 1.
Related Articles
Contenders or pretenders?
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025
Every decision carries weight, and in a league where the line between contender and pretender is razor-thin, there’s little room for error.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
The only saving grace for City is that there is no clear pretender to take its place as the top dog in English soccer.
—Joe Prince-Wright, Nbc Sports, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Cj Moore, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Carter noted that City Hall office workers will return to their cubicles three days per week as of April 1.
Related Articles
Contenders or pretenders?
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025
Every decision carries weight, and in a league where the line between contender and pretender is razor-thin, there’s little room for error.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
The only saving grace for City is that there is no clear pretender to take its place as the top dog in English soccer.
—Joe Prince-Wright, Nbc Sports, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretender
Noun
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Criminals that are able to gain access to passwords put up for sale on the dark web are able to use them for identify theft, fraud, and even blackmail.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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The truth is that almost all the fraud, waste and abuse in the health care system comes from the billing and payment processes and skyrocketing prices, not from people who rely on Medicaid for essential care.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Spotting The Scam: What Deepfakes Still Get Wrong Even the smartest fakes leave fingerprints.—
Anastasia Paruntseva,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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When fakes are passed off as the real thing, of course that would lead to murder.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
The quilt and sham are stuffed with artificial down to provide a cozy feel.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
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This set features two pillow shams, duvet cover, and flat and fitted sheet.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The Reframe: From Proving To Exploring Breaking free from the impostor myth isn’t about proving more.—
Neerja Bhatia,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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The impostors then stole two hot dogs and menaced the vendor with a knife before taking off on Seventh Ave., heading toward 44th St. Cops took one man into custody following the heist, and are looking for a second person dressed in a red hoodie, black pants and black and white sneakers.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2025
Noun
-
Caricatured by Honoré Daumier and his lesser followers always as a mountebank, a charlatan, a circus clown, Louis Napoleon could normalize the extent of his outrages by the seeming harmlessness of his absurdities.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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Where to watch Saw: Amazon Prime Video (to rent) 03 of 10 Saw X (2023) John Kramer ventures to Mexico for an experimental cancer treatment administered by money-hungry charlatans in this slick but not particularly inventive revival sequel, which takes place between the events of Saw and Saw II.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
10 May 2025
Noun
-
Caricatured by Honoré Daumier and his lesser followers always as a mountebank, a charlatan, a circus clown, Louis Napoleon could normalize the extent of his outrages by the seeming harmlessness of his absurdities.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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With tariffs on pharmaceuticals, the mountebank of Mar-A-Lago wants to punish a small democracy of 5.3 million people that for the past 60 years has worked its way into the top table of drug research and production: Ireland.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Tell that to the kids who have been hospitalized and died from measles, following quack Dr. Bobby’s Rx to avoid the shots.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2025
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The Spare Room by Helen Garner This is a book about a woman, Helen, who decides to let her old friend, Nicola, who is dying of cancer, come and stay with her in Melbourne while Nicola sees a local quack doctor.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretender. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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