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
Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Samara Weaving once pretended to be her lookalike friend, Margot Robbie.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Faced with one of Musk’s seemingly impossible mandates, those strong employees rarely pretended to already know the solution.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 May 2026
His wife fell to the floor and pretended to be dead, and Little was pronounced dead at a hospital.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Arlester Brown, a Black soldier who fought in a segregated army, crossed an ocean to depend on men of every background for his survival — and came home to an America that pretended that bond didn’t exist.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Prosecutors say Watson pretended to be a pregnant teen, copying the social media posts of a minor in Pennsylvania.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 May 2026
In January 2024, investigators pretended to represent a gum company conducting research into flavors participants prefer.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 14 May 2026
Darryl pretended to be a novice and challenged Tyler to a match, even promising him a new pair of cleats if Tyler won.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
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
King pretended to be dead as Lee tried to wrench open the cash register.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Samara Weaving once pretended to be her lookalike friend, Margot Robbie.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Faced with one of Musk’s seemingly impossible mandates, those strong employees rarely pretended to already know the solution.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 May 2026
His wife fell to the floor and pretended to be dead, and Little was pronounced dead at a hospital.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Arlester Brown, a Black soldier who fought in a segregated army, crossed an ocean to depend on men of every background for his survival — and came home to an America that pretended that bond didn’t exist.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Prosecutors say Watson pretended to be a pregnant teen, copying the social media posts of a minor in Pennsylvania.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 May 2026
In January 2024, investigators pretended to represent a gum company conducting research into flavors participants prefer.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 14 May 2026
Darryl pretended to be a novice and challenged Tyler to a match, even promising him a new pair of cleats if Tyler won.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
Adjective
-
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.—
Lauren Neergaard,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Maduro’s electoral fraud was so blatant, and his rights abuses so serious, that the United States, the 27-member European Union and several other countries did not recognize his fake victory.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 Dec. 2025
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The goal isn’t to fake joy, but to show appreciation for the thought behind the gift.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Miranda even posed with Sweet Pea, a 6-year-old bull dog mix who has had the longest stay at Wags & Walks so far, more than 500 days.—
Nashville Tennessean,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Dec. 2025
-
The French government claimed the tests posed no danger to human life, but everyone in the area was exposed to radiation and cancers and birth defects rose in the local population in their wake.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Upon meeting Caldas, Enderle noticed the athlete's muscles and height but still assumed Caldas was a female.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 July 2025
-
According to Stengel, it is assumed that the effect is achieved via modulation of inflammatory processes, nerve activity, and the regulation of stress hormones such as cortisol and neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine—all of which happens along the gut-brain axis.—
Desireé Oostland,
Vogue,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Repercussions could result in local fines, citations, damage claims, and a strained relationship with the neighbor.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Tess is the other violin, anxious and strained and full of unresolved hurt; Jon, the sweet, warm viola, always supporting, his identity built around harmony.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Federal Reserve data shows Millennial and Gen X mortgage debt is nearly double that of Boomers in absolute terms.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
-
The encore’s double-pack of songs from Rush’s debut was a reminder of a path not taken.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
Verb
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At the end of May, Fitch maintained the credit ratings and stable outlooks on five GCC states—excluding Oman—largely due to their substantial fiscal buffers that have acted as a cushion against economic shocks.—
Melissa Hancock,
Fortune,
16 June 2026
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The establishment of the fund comes less than two weeks after a district court judge ruled the Kennedy Center's board acted unlawfully in adding the president's name and in making plans for two years of closure and renovations.—
Emma Nicholson,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The drills, which also included 155 mm howitzers, simulated a response to a Chinese invasion and were designed to test rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
Using different pairs of loaded dice, the result of each match in the World Cup can be simulated.—
Achim Zeileis,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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