pretend

1 of 2

verb

pre·​tend pri-ˈtend How to pronounce pretend (audio)
pretended; pretending; pretends

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 expertiseClive Barnes

pretend

2 of 2

adjective

1
: imaginary, make-believe
had a pretend pal with whom he talked
2
: not genuine : mock
pretend pearls
3
: being a nonfunctional imitation
a pretend train for the children to play in
Choose the Right Synonym for pretend

assume, affect, pretend, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham mean to put on a false or deceptive appearance.

assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive.

assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling.

affected an interest in art

pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance.

pretended that nothing had happened

simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something.

cosmetics that simulate a suntan

feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate.

feigned sickness

counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words.

an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible.

shammed a most unconvincing limp

Examples of pretend in a Sentence

Verb He had a big stain on his shirt, but I pretended not to notice. The children pretended to be asleep. She looked like she was enjoying the party but she was just pretending. It was a mistake, and to pretend otherwise would be foolish. The children were pretending to be animals. He pretended to make a phone call. Let's just pretend for a moment. I'm your boss. What would you say to me? Adjective The children played on a pretend train. if you were to see the movie's pretend jewels in real life, you wouldn't be fooled for a minute
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
In it, Stephanie pretends to drive Uncle Joey's brand new car, but manages to accidentally throw it into reverse, crashing it through the Tanner family’s kitchen wall. Jen Juneau, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024 No one can pretend that experience adequately prepares for a tough relegation battle in a far harder league. Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Your chef-in-training will relish cooking up a feast in this pretend kitchen that has all the modern-day conveniences and then some. Pamela Brill, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024 The 5-foot-10, 196-pound Alexander is a pretend macho, tough guy. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pretend 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English pretenden "to claim (to be), profess to have, feign oneself to be, proffer, intend, propose," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French pretendre "to lay claim to, allege in court pending proof," borrowed from Latin praetendere "to hold or stretch out, put forward as a pretext, allege in excuse, show deceptively," from prae- pre- + tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out" — more at tender entry 3

Adjective

derivative of pretend entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1708, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pretend was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near pretend

Cite this Entry

“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretend. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pretend

1 of 2 verb
pre·​tend pri-ˈtend How to pronounce pretend (audio)
1
: to give the appearance of being, having, or doing
I don't pretend to be a doctor, but you should do something about that cough
2
: to make believe : act a part or role
pretend to be a bear
pretend I'm your boss. What would you say?

pretend

2 of 2 adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on pretend

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