pretended 1 of 2

adjective

pri-ˈten-dəd How to pronounce pretended (audio)
Definition of pretendednext
1
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality he shows a pretended affection for his girlfriend's cat

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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

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 pretended
Verb
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 Also this year, Cohen’s press officer secretly was recorded by a woman who pretended to be on a date with him. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 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 The story goes that the couple had gone home from his show, and the husband pretended to be the Lovemaster. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
  1. mock
  2. fake
  3. posed
  4. assumed
  5. strained
  6. double
  7. acted
  8. simulated
Adjective
  • Carson and Guillermo stepped onto the dance floor with sunglasses and A-list celebrity swagger as flashes from mock photographers filled the introduction.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In another thread, Strong’s Zuckerberg twitches with irritation through mock congressional hearings, with a PR team headed by crisis management specialist Raya (Wunmi Mosaku), whose task is to make the Facebook CEO likable.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • The fake blooms lined the sweeping curves that curled across the arena floor.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Verb
  • Reservoirs in the country were 28% short of full capacity at the end of September and posed a risk to winter crops, according to a report by Nomura on Monday.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The actors walked the red carpet and posed for photos, including a few with Beard and his father.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of posed
Verb
  • Following his passing in 2021, his son, Adam Stewart, assumed the role of Executive Chairman, continuing the family legacy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The lifting was assumed, God was the obvious entity being addressed, but what mattered most was the us, us, us.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of assumed
Adjective
  • Raman’s tendency to rethink her policy decisions has also contributed to her strained relations with her council colleagues, nearly all of whom are backing the mayor’s reelection bid.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • French bond woes Yields on French government bonds have surged to multiyear highs in recent days, as the country's mounting debt crisis fuels wider concerns about Europe's strained public finances.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • But this is an album that’s apparently about the artist’s double life, and the questions that are bound to be at the forefront of any curious listener’s mind go unaddressed.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • To [React with exaggerated surprise] is to DO A DOUBLE TAKE — as in, to take out double letters (not consecutive ones, mind you).
    — Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of double
Verb
  • Appearing alongside Fry are Elfman, Beach, Jessica Sula, Maria Zhang and Luke Kleintank, the latter of whom also acted in Bones, though his time on that show did not overlap with Fry.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Her breakdancing and pop-and-lock dancing background also played a role throughout the show, as her moves alongside her all-male dancing troupe acted as an additional instrument.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of acted
Verb
  • Adapting to changing enemy signals During the demonstration, the Army simulated a battlefield scenario in which hostile forces communicated while preparing an attack.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • When watching the film, the festival sets captured live blend seamlessly with the shots of the crowd, which were captured both live and simulated later in Atlanta.
    — Miki Hellerbach, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulated

Browse Nearby Words

pretend
pretended
pretender
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Cite this Entry

“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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