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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretender
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.
—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.
—
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.
—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
With the monetary system in a free-fall, some Iranians would rather have a beneficent king than all these pretenders oh-so-interested in the people.
—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.
—
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.
—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
With the monetary system in a free-fall, some Iranians would rather have a beneficent king than all these pretenders oh-so-interested in the people.
—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretender
Noun
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David Vander Meer, 49, was being held at Clark County Detention Center on first-degree murder and insurance fraud charges stemming from the death of his wife, Bernadette, two decades ago.
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According to prosecutors, Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in fraud proceeds, kickbacks and bribes into accounts associated with shell companies in an effort to conceal the source of the money.
Noun
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The publicly available letter, which was dated June 18, comes as Europe prepares to start implementing more regulations under the AI Act this August, including the transparency obligations requiring companies to disclose deep fakes in audio and visual content.
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The fakes are similar to the genuine article in appearance, but some show poor craftsmanship.
Noun
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Each quilt comes with two matching shams to complete the look, and the bedding uses ultrasonic binding instead of stitching so the filling doesn’t shift.
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The set also comes with two matching pillow shams for a cohesive look.
Noun
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Savannah continues to ask the public for help locating her missing mother, while an imposter who sent fraudulent ransom demands has been arrested.
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When news of Israel’s secret outposts in Iraq’s desert emerged, Iraqis admonished their leaders as traitors, and the boisterous militiamen affiliated with the government as impostors for allowing their land to be colonized by an enemy.
Noun
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The actors are perfectly cast, starting with Marmaï’s likable Antoine, the only player here not being the deceiver.
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The film tells the true and twisted tale of a deceiver of land and folk, who, defying her birth as a woman, comported herself as a man and committed many a wicked deed.
Noun
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Others estimate that $500 billion in federal spending is diverted by charlatans each year.
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To this day, a portion of the left-wing Democratic elite views Obama as a charlatan who hoodwinked their voters into supporting him.
Noun
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To tell the truly venomous from the fakers, there are a couple details to help distinguish the two.
Noun
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Good afternoon and welcome to Con Con, the convention for swindlers, mountebanks, and the people who love them.
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Godard might have come across as a species of poseur – a pretentious, quote-spouting mountebank – but his way of seeing was genuinely new.
Cite this Entry
“Pretender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretender. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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