pretending 1 of 2

adjective

as in hypocritical

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pretending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pretend
1
as in posing
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 simulating
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

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 pretending
Adjective
There can be no more pretending, briefing or hiding. — Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
But pretending botanical kratom can’t cause dependence is also dishonest. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Commenters will often take the joke further, by pretending to take the joke seriously and suggesting that those filmed be canceled. — David MacK, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 But Washington cannot stave off a transition to a new regional order by simply pretending that nothing has changed. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Topline An impersonator pretending to be White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles exchanged messages with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, according to multiple reports, the latest incident of someone posing as Wiles contacting a powerful figure. — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Wanna join me in (mostly) pretending the Falcons’ exhibition-opening debacle didn’t happen? — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 That does not mean pretending Panettiere’s struggles never existed. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026 Nothing good, presumably, though Terry is at least pretending to be interested in Bret’s script. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 How Dominique Dillon Responded to Going Viral Her FOX13 colleague Ernie Freeman leaned into the humor with a Facebook post showing Dillon pretending to nap. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretending
  1. hypocritical
  2. posing
  3. simulating
  4. duplicitous
  5. playing
  6. assuming
  7. insincere
  8. acting
Adjective
  • There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake.
    — Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That some people in these industries, including those who are well paid, would look at our economy and seek out other ways of doing things is neither hypocritical nor surprising.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypocritical
Verb
  • Nonetheless, the costs of intercepting incoming munitions could prove particularly high if targets are engaged over populated areas, with drones, defensive munitions and falling debris all posing risks to people and property on the ground.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Hickey is shown in a photo wearing camo while posing with four dead turkeys.
    — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of posing
Verb
  • My own view is that the bill should have more restrictive testing requirements around edge cases—for instance, simulating power outages or major emergencies—before driverless vehicles can be deployed.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Critically, their lawyer scattered crumpled gum wrappers in the trash and on the floor, simulating recent activity from multiple prospective buyers.
    — David J. Moore, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulating
Adjective
  • Cypher probably is best known for his role as the politics-savvy and sometimes duplicitous Police Chief Fletcher Daniels in more than 70 episodes of NBC’s 1980s cop drama Hill Street Blues from 1981-87.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The more beautiful a woman, the more likely her exterior attributes displayed a duplicitous nature.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of duplicitous
Verb
  • Janssens would be one of those defenders playing in front of Suzuki in a new environment.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Manchester City’s defence was wide open in Sunday’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and that could be a sign of things to come now that Rodri is playing for Barcelona in La Liga.
    — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of playing
Verb
  • Branch has similarities to Xavier Worthy, and that gives him the chance to be another WR4 with weekly boom upside … assuming Tagovailoa eats some spinach for that arm or Michael Penix returns under center.
    — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Larry Berg is just months away from assuming his new role as Major League Soccer’s next commissioner.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of assuming
Adjective
  • The implication is that stage types and progressive politicians are craven, submissive, and insincere.
    — Erik Forrest Jackson, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Survivors have expressed frustration and criticized the Japanese government's support for nuclear deterrence for being insincere.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of insincere
Verb
  • On May 15, the EKL learned that scammers, acting through their chief accountant, defrauded their Swedbank and SEB bank accounts of nearly $800,000 in government subsidies via an elaborate scheme disguised as salary payments.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of law enforcement, policing shifts to violent secure against mathematical possibility by acting against living humans now.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of acting

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Cite this Entry

“Pretending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretending. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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