pretend

1 of 2

verb

pre·​tend pri-ˈtend 

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 expertise.

—Clive Barnes

pretend

2 of 2

adjective

1

: imaginary, make-believe

had a pretend pal with whom he talked

2

: not genuine : mock sense 2

pretend pearls

3

: being a nonfunctional imitation

a pretend train for the children to play in

Synonyms of pretend

Verb

• pose
• play
• assume
• act
• dissimulate
• make believe
• dissemble
• fake
• simulate
• let on
• make a show

Adjective

• faux
• fake
• simulated
• synthetic
• dummy
• artificial
• imitation
• mock
• false

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

Verb

But when Phillip lands a job pretending to be a family member of a paying client, his life is radically changed. —Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025

The real police located the two vehicles at 4th Avenue and South State Street, and found the driver who was pretending to be an officer outside his vehicle, police said. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025

Adjective

Spark their imagination with pretend play favorites, like the Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter or the Play-Doh kitchen mixer playset. —Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 30 Nov. 2025

Plus, there are so many Disney princess toys like this pretend deluxe suitcase set with so many pretend in-flight essentials. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing pretend

• pretend to (something)

Rhymes for pretend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

pretend

1 of 2 verb

pre·​tend pri-ˈtend 

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

: imaginary, make-believe