pretended 1 of 2

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pretended

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verb

past tense of pretend

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
Adjective
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 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 No, seriously: People were very upset by these shoes, or at least pretended to be. Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 31 Aug. 2017
Verb
The newly vegan sister-in-law then called the caterer and pretended to be the bride, adding five new vegan options and approving a $1,500 charge. Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 Josef and Rosemarie raised three of Elisabeth's children, who Josef pretended Elisabeth left on their doorstep, while Elisabeth was forced to raise three of her children in a locked underground compound without windows. Jessica Sager, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025 Morant then put the imaginary grenade to his mouth, pretended to pull the pin by biting it, and tossed it. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025 For one YouTube video, Piper pretended to break her leg and have a stroke and was carried away in a fake ambulance. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Apr. 2025 Rick, who pretended to be a film producer to weasel his way into the home of Jim and Sritala (Lek Patravadi) and confront Jim over potentially murdering his father. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025 In the prank, Nephew Tommy pretended that his organization lost funding due to Crockett’s viral clapbacks. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Davis then shot Harmony in the head and also shot her 10-year-old sister, who suffered a non-fatal bullet wound and pretended to be dead until long after Davis left the residence, according to police. Chris Spargo, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025 There have been numerous cases in which criminals have pretended to work for a police department and forged court orders and emergency requests to pilfer personal information that could be used to locate, stalk or harass individuals. Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
Adjective
  • The couple misspelled words a few times during their mock challenge against him.
    Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 2 June 2025
  • Know the difference by testing candidates in mock sales situations.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 June 2025
  • Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.
    Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • When Newcastle received an influx of cash from a sovereign wealth fund, fans assumed a legion of superstars would lead them to Champions League glory.
    Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • It has long been assumed that no such loan write-offs are allowed to be included in clubs’ PSR calculations.
    Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Coulombe has been out since May 5 with a strained left forearm.
    Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • The official synopsis for Father Mother Sister Brother reads: Estranged siblings reunite after years apart, forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Went Two-Times Platinum in Under Two Months By mid-July 2024, RM’s Right Place, Wrong Person had been certified double platinum on Korea’s Circle Charts with over 500,000 copies sold despite his absence from active promotions.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • The double cheeseburger requires a commitment, prompting a likely nap shortly after.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • Lori also acted as Cameron’s agent for purposes of the ticket that permitted Cameron to enter the game.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Prosecutors concluded that the landlord acted in self-defense.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel that simulated hovering flight conditions, with researchers focusing on accurately discerning wind directions during tethered flapping.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Depending on the intensity, duration and sequence of those vibrations, sensations such as being tapped, stroked or squeezed can be simulated.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Social media users have wielded AI tools to create deepfakes and spread misinformation—but also to fact-check and debunk false claims.
    Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
  • On Wednesday, Dobbins addressed the story about his false claims.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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