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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
-
His mock draft range has been all over the place, from the lottery to Denver’s territory.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
Look for mock-meat dishes built around tofu and seitan — including bánh mì chay made with tofu — along with fresh spring rolls and phở chay, typically made with mushrooms in place of beef or chicken.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Despite the highs, however, there were some low moments in the week — including a near run-in with Scooter Braun and an insult from a radio analyst who deemed Swift a fake Knicks fan.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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To make matters worse, cybercriminals are using fake FIFA sites, bogus ticket offers and phony job ads to scam viewers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Soccer fans on their way to the first World Cup game in New Jersey moved through the crowds dressed in their jerseys, as others donned their Knicks gear and posed in front of the basketball mecca.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this posed a threat to maritime security and accused the EU of intimidating civilian vessels.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
This year, the United Arab Emirates was told its gas leaks less methane than everyone had assumed.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
When Perimenopause Actually Starts A February 2025 study in npj Women’s Health by UVA Health and Flo Health found perimenopausal symptoms starting much earlier than commonly assumed.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Jay has just one hour of oxygen left to forge an escape, applying the knowledge and skill set his late father passed on to him, while also reconciling their strained relationship in the process.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
The council listened, with strained faces and large eyes.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Frenetic winds robbed Wilyer Abreu of a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth, but Willson Contreras’ subsequent line drive made contact with the left-field wall for a game-tying RBI double and knocked Schlittler out of the game.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
On Friday, tech stocks led a market bloodbath after the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report showed employers added a net 172,000 jobs last month, nearly double Wall Street forecasts.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The defense maintained that Anthony acted in self-defense.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
The punitive phase of the civil trial began Thursday, after jurors determined that Grossman had acted with malice and oppression and Erickson with malice, oppression or fraud.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
9 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 15 Jun. 2026.
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