as in hypocritical
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Dissimilar Words
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
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Recent Examples of pretending
Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 May 2026
Other highlights from the show included a sketch where Rodrigo and Ben Marshall played a pair of exes pretending to be in new relationships, as well as the latest edition of a recurring sketch about Shop TV hosts selling a product that looks very inappropriate.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 3 May 2026
The problem is pretending all of this is moral enlightenment instead of corporate strategy.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
There is a tedium, however, to scrolling through a bunch of stuff that isn’t real, that maybe isn’t even pretending to be real, all for the sake of lying for no reason.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Turentine continued to message Bolling, pretending to be Edwards.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Bush Hager quipped, pretending to lie down at a therapist's office.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a real industrial approach to the sound — hard, percussive rhythms beneath the plush interior of melody, and lyrics that are just about the most fun a listener can have pretending he, too, is this glamorously besotted or gloriously bereft.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Because good ex-etiquette isn’t about pretending the past didn’t happen.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
There can be no more pretending, briefing or hiding.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Online adult platforms are being severely restricted these days as new laws banning materials involving adults pretending to be under 18 are put into place.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 May 2026
Other highlights from the show included a sketch where Rodrigo and Ben Marshall played a pair of exes pretending to be in new relationships, as well as the latest edition of a recurring sketch about Shop TV hosts selling a product that looks very inappropriate.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 3 May 2026
The problem is pretending all of this is moral enlightenment instead of corporate strategy.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
There is a tedium, however, to scrolling through a bunch of stuff that isn’t real, that maybe isn’t even pretending to be real, all for the sake of lying for no reason.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Turentine continued to message Bolling, pretending to be Edwards.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Bush Hager quipped, pretending to lie down at a therapist's office.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
There’s a real industrial approach to the sound — hard, percussive rhythms beneath the plush interior of melody, and lyrics that are just about the most fun a listener can have pretending he, too, is this glamorously besotted or gloriously bereft.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Because good ex-etiquette isn’t about pretending the past didn’t happen.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretending
Adjective
-
Seems extremely hypocritical, no?—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
How hypocritical that of me, Amy, and Gretchen, the only one married is me.—
David Sedaris,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the morning before his final Governor’s Fishing Opener in the title role, Tim Walz stood on the Stillwater waterfront, posing for myriad pictures and doing interviews with the community’s iconic Lift Bridge and the bluffs of Wisconsin behind him.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
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Belkin was also photographed days earlier, on April 23, posing on a boat while wearing the signature swimsuit.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
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That point was acknowledged immediately with the title track – not played since 2009 – opening the show as motion-simulating video tilted and zipped through a vibrant carnival.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Separate tests examined how the thermal protection system performs when its surface is damaged, simulating impacts from debris or micrometeoroids.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Also on the call sheet is Kathryn Hahn, hailed for her recent works in Agatha All Along and The Studio, and who is playing the duplicitous Mother Gothel.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
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After backing out of an agreement to trade first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for Crosby, DeCosta was decried as dishonorable, dirty and duplicitous, especially after Baltimore signed another accomplished edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson, to a free-agent deal the following day.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments!—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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Paul and Barlow spent several minutes in the second half playing in the frontcourt, giving Nurse options to switch seamlessly while playing small when other Sixers bigs dealt with foul trouble.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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With a razor-thin majority, the Speaker can afford to lose only two GOP votes on any party-line bill, assuming that all members are present and Democrats are united in opposition.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
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Providers also can fall victim to inadvertent bias, assuming a young, otherwise healthy patient must be dealing with something other than shingles.—
Alyssa Sparacino,
Glamour,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As soon as Talarico’s primary victory over Jasmine Crockett was certain, conservatives called on those remarks and others to swiftly and uniformly deride his Christianity as blasphemous and insincere.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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However, Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, felt Lorincz’s courtroom apology was insincere.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The show is postapocalyptic and emotionally manipulative—think The Last of Us meets This Is Us—but the supple acting and careful character development pay off in the latest season.—
Dan Zak,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
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Republicans only need to keep a 50-seat caucus, with Vice President JD Vance acting as the tie-breaking vote, to retain control of the Senate.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretending. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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