pretender

noun

pre·​tend·​er pri-ˈten-dər 

: one that pretends: such as

a

: one who lays claim to something

specifically : a claimant to a throne who is held to have no just title

b

: one who makes a false or hypocritical show

Synonyms of pretender

• fraud
• fake
• sham
• impostor
• deceiver
• charlatan
• faker
• mountebank
• misleader
• quack
• actor

Examples of pretender in a Sentence

it turns out that the guy who claimed to work for a modeling agency was just a pretender

Recent Examples on the Web

Not until the 2011-12 broadcast season, or Year 6 of SNF, did NBC’s NFL juggernaut tamp the dirt down over the last pretender. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 Nov. 2025

Discernment in separating potential winners from the pretenders is a positive, if sometimes manic and messy, process. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025

As the difference between contenders and pretenders becomes clearer each week, the Seahawks took a significant step Sunday toward cementing themselves as a team to be reckoned with down the line. —Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

The King of Poland and the pretender to the throne of Sweden. —Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

pretend entry 1 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pretender

• bartender
• contender
• defender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender
• bender
• blender

Kids Definition

pretender

noun

pre·​tend·​er pri-ˈten-dər 

1

: a person who pretends

2

: a person who claims a throne without right