pretend to (something)
idiom
formal
: to claim that one has (something, such as a quality or ability)
She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don't believe her.
—usually used in negative statementsI don't pretend to any expertise in these matters.
Examples of pretend to (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a form of payback, the OP asked her 38-year-old friend to pretend to be her boyfriend and accompany her to Easter dinner with her father and his younger partner.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Given its vast scale and scope, the book does not pretend to offer definitive accounts of every major African polity or historical event.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
By 48 months, the child does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, in play.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025
The treaty did not pretend to name mutually agreeable arbitrators, either.
—Tom Bell, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Given its vast scale and scope, the book does not pretend to offer definitive accounts of every major African polity or historical event.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
By 48 months, the child does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, in play.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025
The treaty did not pretend to name mutually agreeable arbitrators, either.
—Tom Bell, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
Cite this Entry
“Pretend to (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretend%20to%20%28something%29. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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