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
Relevance
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
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.
—
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
With the monetary system in a free-fall, some Iranians would rather have a beneficent king than all these pretenders oh-so-interested in the people.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
The Patriots are contenders, the Bears pretenders.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
With the monetary system in a free-fall, some Iranians would rather have a beneficent king than all these pretenders oh-so-interested in the people.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
The Patriots are contenders, the Bears pretenders.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretender
Noun
-
The appeals court that ordered a trial court to reconsider Peters' sentence said the trial judge's consideration of her belief in the existence of 2020 election fraud went beyond what was relevant to sentencing her.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
Dana Williamson, former top aide to Newsom, pleaded guilty in an FBI corruption probe to bank fraud, filing a false tax return and lying to the FBI.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Some of the most damaging fakes get through because nobody on the defense side knew to challenge them.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
Once word got out about the reports in Ohio, so did the obvious fakes.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The three-piece set includes two 20x26-inch matching pillow shams.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2026
-
Then snap up this pretty seersucker comforter set that includes two pillow shams and sheets (and comes in 30 colors) for just $37.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The impostor never logged in to Disberry's account directly.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
-
Luckily, Superman isn’t alone to face the evil imposter.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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
Noun
-
Then give the land back, you pompous charlatans.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
-
To this day, a portion of the left-wing Democratic elite views Obama as a charlatan who hoodwinked their voters into supporting him.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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
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
Cite this Entry
“Pretender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretender. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
