PRETEND Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'pretend' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pretend are affect , assume , counterfeit , feign , sham , and simulate . While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance. // pretended that nothing had happened

Q: Where would 'affect' be a reasonable alternative to 'pretend'?

In some situations, the words affect and pretend are roughly equivalent. However, affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling. // affected an interest in art

Q: When might 'assume' be a better fit than 'pretend'?

Although the words assume and pretend have much in common, assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive. // assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

Q: In what contexts can 'counterfeit' take the place of 'pretend'?

The meanings of counterfeit and pretend largely overlap; however, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words. // an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

Q: How does the word 'feign' relate to other synonyms for 'pretend'?

Feign implies more artful invention than pretend , less specific mimicry than simulate . // feigned sickness

Q: When is 'sham' a more appropriate choice than 'pretend'?

The words sham and pretend can be used in similar contexts, but sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible. // shammed a most unconvincing limp

Q: When can 'simulate' be used instead of 'pretend'?

While in some cases nearly identical to pretend , simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something. // cosmetics that simulate a suntan

pretend 1 of 2

verb

pri-ˈtend

Definition of pretend

as in to pose

to take on a false or deceptive appearance I pretended that I didn't care that my ex had a new man in her life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to assume

to present a false appearance of as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work

Synonyms & Similar Words

pretend

2 of 2

adjective

as in faux

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials if you were to see the movie's pretend jewels in real life, you wouldn't be fooled for a minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in imaginary

not real and existing only in the imagination it's just a pretend gun, so please pretend that I got you and play dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pretend contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pretend are affect, assume, counterfeit, feign, sham, and simulate. While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance.

pretended that nothing had happened

Where would affect be a reasonable alternative to pretend?

In some situations, the words affect and pretend are roughly equivalent. However, affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling.

affected an interest in art

When might assume be a better fit than pretend?

Although the words assume and pretend have much in common, assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive.

assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

In what contexts can counterfeit take the place of pretend?

The meanings of counterfeit and pretend largely overlap; however, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words.

an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

How does the word feign relate to other synonyms for pretend?

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

feigned sickness

When is sham a more appropriate choice than pretend?

The words sham and pretend can be used in similar contexts, but sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible.

shammed a most unconvincing limp

When can simulate be used instead of pretend?

While in some cases nearly identical to pretend, simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something.

cosmetics that simulate a suntan

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of pretend

Verb

Or just going on with her life, sipping margs by the pool and pretending nothing happened? — Andy Richter With Aaron Karo, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026 Trump was right to call out the problem and Democrats shouldn’t pretend otherwise. — David Yassky, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026

Adjective

An Unexpected Trekker who literally took me from pretend space-adventurer to real one is, of course, Jeff Bezos. — William Shatner, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026 Kids can come up with anything from pretend pizza parlors to make-believe malls. — Michelle Crouch, Parents, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pretend

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretend

Verb

In October, Semafor reported that the Daily Caller tweeted a cartoon of Bill Gates and the devil posing with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein wearing an Israeli flag Speedo.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
The interest accumulating on that debt also poses a major challenge at a time when the government wants to boost defense spending.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of pose

Verb

One where experiential equity is built in from the beginning, where disabled fans are assumed to be an integral part of the audience, and where live music becomes more expansive.

— Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Instead of assuming that alien civilizations must communicate through elaborate messages, scientists could first look for signals whose patterns appear deliberately different from their natural surroundings.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of assume

Adjective

But the real showstopper was the two-story replica of Barbie’s Dreamhouse, complete with a 2D faux pool, a DJ spinning tracks, and the trademark spiral slide.

— Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
Releases have experimented with a range of materials and patterns including a standard mesh and synthetic combo, faux-crocodile skin and cow-print sued — and Comme des Garçons is now stepping in as the first collaborator to get a release.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of faux

Adjective

The film was a vision of the future refracted through an imaginary past.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
The elimination of the imaginary Kong Mountains and knowledge of a shorter travel distance through the dense tropical forest accelerated French colonization of the region.

— Thomas J Bassett, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of imaginary

Verb

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Purdue transfer, cleared by the courts to play courtesy of a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit against the NCAA, came off the bench to score nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
That forced Edmonds and former Horned Frog David Punch (now at Texas) to play lengthy minutes and have to worry about foul trouble.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of play

Verb

Part of the research assignment was to figure out how to more efficiently extract carbon from deep seawater and add it to the shallow water near the coral to simulate rising ocean acidity.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
Some examples include importing a long spreadsheet of customer records, simulating how an accounting batch will affect the general ledger before posting it or previewing the impact of a transaction on a project budget.

— Steve Cangiano, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of simulate

Adjective

Taking a page out of Better Call Saul‘s playbook, NBC is launching a fake billboard-style ad for Jim Rockford, complete with a hotline number, just like the AMC drama did with attorney Saul Goodman.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
Stone was dressed as an aesthetically conscious conservative housewife with a crisp button-down shirt, A-line skirt, peroxide blowout and fake facelift sutures.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

This Lincolnian view of the war—that the United States was perpetual and that the Confederate States of America was a fictitious, farcical nation—has led to various historical interpretations ever since, among historians and laypeople alike.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
The series will be set in a fictitious Barneys in Beverly Hills, not New York, and the real founding family of the retailer, the Pressman family, has no involvement, the spokesperson said.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fictitious

Browse Nearby Words

preteens

pretend

pretended

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretend. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of pretend

verb

adjective

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