1
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
he shows a pretended affection for his girlfriend's cat
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
hoped that his pretended interest in classical music would impress the boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in posed
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
2
as in assumed
to present a false appearance of
as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretended
Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2022
No, seriously: People were very upset by these shoes, or at least pretended to be.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 31 Aug. 2017
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
The group of women pretended to teach her a simple four-step.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
In Week 6 of the TSSAA football season, Brentwood Academy junior edge-rusher Kenneth Simon II registered a sack against Ensworth and formed his hands into a circle, then pretended to roll a pair of dice.
—Tyler Palmateer, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
True desires were revealed during the blackout, as Chuck pretended to be Blair's British boyfriend, Marcus.
—Emily Exton, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
There was that episode of The Nanny where Fran pretended to be Bobbi Flekman.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
California Schemin’ is based on the true story of two Scottish friends, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, who pretended to be a California rap duo, Silibil N’ Brains, to realize their dream of hip-hop stardom.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
No one pretended when Johnny Carson or others retired that the new group would replace them.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Instead of confirming or denying, the Colorado Buffaloes head coach flashed a wide smile and pretended the connection on their call was too poor to proceed.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
What most activates Dunn’s rage is the misogyny that only deepened amid all the pretended freedoms of the counterculture.
—Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2022
No, seriously: People were very upset by these shoes, or at least pretended to be.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 31 Aug. 2017
Verb
The ’60s counterculture sometimes pretended to be about that (and occasionally was), but that’s not really what the ’60s were about.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
The group of women pretended to teach her a simple four-step.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
In Week 6 of the TSSAA football season, Brentwood Academy junior edge-rusher Kenneth Simon II registered a sack against Ensworth and formed his hands into a circle, then pretended to roll a pair of dice.
—Tyler Palmateer, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
True desires were revealed during the blackout, as Chuck pretended to be Blair's British boyfriend, Marcus.
—Emily Exton, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
There was that episode of The Nanny where Fran pretended to be Bobbi Flekman.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
California Schemin’ is based on the true story of two Scottish friends, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, who pretended to be a California rap duo, Silibil N’ Brains, to realize their dream of hip-hop stardom.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
No one pretended when Johnny Carson or others retired that the new group would replace them.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Instead of confirming or denying, the Colorado Buffaloes head coach flashed a wide smile and pretended the connection on their call was too poor to proceed.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
Adjective
-
The silhouette is perfectly slouchy, and the wide sleeves and mock neckline add drama.—
Nusrat Sultana,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The simple design has the comfort and fit of a classic long-sleeve shirt, but with a twisted mock neck that adds a touch of dimension.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As a precaution, health and trade associations are urging consumers and bars to destroy or properly dispose of empty bottles to prevent counterfeiters from reusing them in the production of fake liquor.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
-
After going for it on fourth-and-short successfully with a direct snap to Hall on a fake punt, the Jets proceeded to … run out the clock with runs, short passes, and by not snapping the ball on fourth down.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Moments later, the group posed for a photo.—
Pilar Arias , Yonat Friling,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The event is being investigated by federal agencies amid complications posed by a federal government shutdown, which could affect the timeliness of fact-finding and public communications.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The bride chose a buffet-style dinner for her nuptials, and assumed there would be plenty of food to go around.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Interestingly, what many Countdown viewers surely assumed to be a season-long threat — the aforementioned Volchek and his plan to explode multiple bombs at an outdoor Los Angeles galleria — was resolved early in Episode 10 of 13.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Room for Disagreement The UAE’s relationship with Israel has become strained in recent years over the devastation in Gaza and threats from some Israeli politicians to annex the West Bank — a move that would effectively end hopes for a Palestinian state.—
Yossi Shelley,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Ending the war will offer the Israeli leader relief from daily headlines of IDF casualties, strained reservist forces, increasing international isolation and severe economic damage – heavy burdens for electoral campaigns.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lightcap—who joined OpenAI from Y Combinator in 2018—double-majored in economics and history in college.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The ball went into the dugout, allowing Max Kepler to advance to second, scoring on Nick Castellanos’ double.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The state and its Secretary of State, Nancy Landry, argue that the legislature acted lawfully in response to earlier federal orders requiring better representation for Black voters.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Head coach Sean McVay certainly acted like it, thrusting his fists through the air in triumph as Verse skipped down the field, howling at the sparsely populated crowd at M&T Bank Stadium.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Everything else must be simulated and/or modeled and/or theoretically predicted, and that comes along with enormous uncertainties.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The team also simulated how heat might move through the moon in an effort to determine how future missions could potentially detect a subsurface ocean.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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