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pretender

noun

pri-ˈten-dər How to pronounce pretender (audio)
Definition of pretendernext
as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise it turns out that the guy who claimed to work for a modeling agency was just a pretender

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pretender Dogs can tell the difference between an actual alpha and a pretender. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 5 June 2026 The three-row SUV market has become a gladiator arena of family haulers, luxury pretenders and oversized fuel guzzlers. — Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 22 May 2026 Now, hardship seems to be an end in itself, a battle scar or badge of honor that distinguishes true backpackers from mere pretenders. — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 4 May 2026 With a light two-game Good Friday schedule, this is a good time to take a closer look at the contenders and pretenders as the season gets down to the wire. — Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pretender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretender
  1. fraud
  2. fake
  3. sham
  4. impostor
  5. deceiver
  6. charlatan
  7. faker
  8. mountebank
Noun
  • Investigators found that those allegations only scratched the surface of the amount of fraud that was believed to have occurred.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Critics also questioned whether the bill provided sufficient safeguards against fraud, money laundering and market manipulation.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • Cousins wasn’t mobile enough to execute play fakes in 2024, and Penix wasn’t comfortable turning his back to do the defense.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Many of these fakes do not meet American manufacturing and product safety standards, per the CPSC.
    — Parents, Parents, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fake
Noun
  • The five-piece set includes a plush comforter, throw blanket, shams, and a decorative pillow for calming cohesion, and comes in rich neutrals like creamy beige, midnight blue, and toasty brown.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But investigators now say his story was a sham and that behind closed doors, the assistant fire chief was allegedly living a double life.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sham
Noun
  • In this scam, imposters send you an email or text, pretending to be your hotel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • For the imposter, success brings only temporary relief, while failure is a revelation.
    — Sandro da Silva, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of impostor
Noun
  • The actors are perfectly cast, starting with Marmaï’s likable Antoine, the only player here not being the deceiver.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 May 2026
  • The film tells the true and twisted tale of a deceiver of land and folk, who, defying her birth as a woman, comported herself as a man and committed many a wicked deed.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of deceiver
Noun
  • You and many others have been taken in by a lowlife charlatan.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Their actions, goals, and promises mimic that of a charlatan.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of charlatan
Noun
  • To tell the truly venomous from the fakers, there are a couple details to help distinguish the two.
    — Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of faker
Noun
  • Good afternoon and welcome to Con Con, the convention for swindlers, mountebanks, and the people who love them.
    — Henry Alford, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
  • Godard might have come across as a species of poseur – a pretentious, quote-spouting mountebank – but his way of seeing was genuinely new.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Nov. 2025
Definition of mountebank

Browse Nearby Words

pretended
pretender
pretenders
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Cite this Entry

“Pretender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretender. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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