Synonyms of pretended

pretended 1 of 2

adjective

pri-ˈten-dəd 

1

as in mock

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

he shows a pretended affection for his girlfriend's cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mock
• strained
• false
• fake
• assumed
• unnatural
• exaggerated
• forced
• affected
• feigned
• simulated
• contrived
• mechanical
• pseudo
• artificial
• plastic
• sham
• phony
• bogus
• cute
• spurious
• factitious
• put-on
• theatrical
• hollow
• calculated
• manufactured
• unreal
• pat
• empty
• labored
• automatic
• deliberate
• fabricated
• concocted
• hypocritical
• unrealistic
• canned
• insincere
• conscious
• formal
• stiff
• studied
• wooden
• cultivated
• hokey
• facile
• unctuous
• melodramatic
• conventional
• two-faced
• mealy
• unauthentic
• premeditated
• histrionic
• impersonal
• mealymouthed
• stylized
• overacted
• rigid
• double-dealing
• simpering
• genteel
• cutesy
• left-handed
• overdone
• overrefined
• mincing
• inflexible
• artful
• goody-goody

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• real
• unaffected
• spontaneous
• true
• natural
• right
• artless
• authentic
• bona fide
• realistic
• sincere
• honest
• unfeigned
• easy
• ingenuous
• unforced
• uncontrived
• smooth
• unconscious
• effortless
• impromptu
• instinctive
• unpretending
• impulsive
• extemporaneous
• unprompted
• unrehearsed
• unstudied

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

• fake
• double
• feigned
• strained
• assumed
• lip
• meaningless
• superficial
• hollow
• hypocritical
• counterfeit
• artificial
• insincere
• phony
• backhanded
• pious
• forced
• mechanical
• false
• affected
• jive
• unnatural
• unctuous
• contrived
• mealy
• two-faced
• dishonest
• double-faced
• phony-baloney
• empty
• simulated
• mealymouthed
• Pecksniffian
• double-dealing
• Janus-faced
• left-handed
• sham
• deceitful
• put-on
• glib
• untruthful
• bogus
• devious
• facile
• claptrap
• facetious
• sanctimonious
• tongue-in-cheek
• jocular
• pharisaical
• campy
• simon-pure
• self-righteous
• canting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• sincere
• honest
• unfeigned
• candid
• artless
• heartfelt
• open
• plain
• direct
• frank
• undesigning
• straightforward
• forthright
• heart-to-heart

pretended

2 of 2

verb

past tense of pretend

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

• posed
• acted
• assumed
• played
• faked
• made believe
• made a show
• dissembled
• let on
• simulated
• dissimulated
• concealed
• masqueraded
• made a pretense
• professed
• made out
• disguised
• feigned
• put on an act
• impersonated
• put up a front
• masked
• affected
• camouflaged
• shammed
• counterfeited
• bluffed
• put on
• playacted
• feinted

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assumed
• simulated
• acted
• feigned
• professed
• affected
• passed (for)
• made believe
• faked
• shammed
• bluffed
• dissembled
• concealed
• posed
• counterfeited
• forged
• put on
• played
• imitated
• masqueraded
• impersonated
• disguised
• camouflaged
• let on
• masked
• dissimulated
• feinted
• playacted
• malingered

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pretended

Verb

Tremble’s taunt after his second TD was already coming in for teasing by his teammates postgame, as running back Chuba Hubbard (120 rushing yards, one TD) pretended to be a reporter and asked Tremble about it. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026

Pressed — surely she’s pretended to be sick to get out of a party? — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

The long drives were buoyed by bold play calling, with the Broncos going 4-for-4 on fourth downs, including a trick play in which Madsen pretended to fumble the ball before connecting with sophomore receiver AJ Jones for 7 yards and a first down. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 11 Oct. 2026

To get the tortoise’s DNA material, Jonathan’s veterinarian Joe Hollins pretended to feed him, wedged his mouth open with a hard glove and scraped cells from inside his cheek. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Russian forces were in the area; some even pretended to be news crews. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026

To offset the von Hatz security leak, another OSS team in Istanbul pretended to organize a fake Sparrow mission. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

During his post-sack celebration, the star lineman pretended to unzip his pants and pee on the field. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026

The pope, formerly Robert Prevost, grew up in a deeply Catholic family in Chicago where the three sons all served as altar boys in church, their parents led nightly recitations of the Rosary and young Robert pretended to be a priest. — Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026