as in frauds
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 pretenders
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
This is where hype turns into hard numbers, and contenders start getting separated from pretenders.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Discernment in separating potential winners from the pretenders is a positive, if sometimes manic and messy, process.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Tim Brinkhof, Time, 4 May 2026
This is where hype turns into hard numbers, and contenders start getting separated from pretenders.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Discernment in separating potential winners from the pretenders is a positive, if sometimes manic and messy, process.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretenders
Noun
-
Their only inheritance is a legacy of two-bit crime that inspires them to run increasingly audacious frauds.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
4 June 2026
-
The request was audacious, even by the standards of a man accused of one of the largest financial frauds in history.—
Jennifer Gould,
Air Mail,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Thirty-four years having passed since the last go-round, we are treated to such modern advances as catfishing, drones, deep fakes, social media and pushy true-crime podcasters.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
McKenna is extremely shifty with the puck, blending shoulder fakes into his playmaking.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Shop deals on scalloped duvets and sheets, fringe shams, patchwork quilts, floral sheets, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
-
Simple channel stitching and wrap-around flange add subtle texture, while two matching pillow shams complete the set.—
Better Homes & Gardens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Then give the land back, you pompous charlatans.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
-
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When news of Israel’s secret outposts in Iraq’s desert emerged, Iraqis admonished their leaders as traitors, and the boisterous militiamen affiliated with the government as impostors for allowing their land to be colonized by an enemy.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
These scams often include government impostors, direct deposit fraud, phishing, identity theft, payment redirection and social media scams.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 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
Cite this Entry
“Pretenders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretenders. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
