pretend

American  

[pri-tend] / prɪˈtɛnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so.

   to pretend illness; to pretend that nothing is wrong.

   Synonyms:

   counterfeit, sham, fake, simulate

2. to appear falsely, as to deceive; feign.

   to pretend to go to sleep.

3. to make believe.

   The children pretended to be cowboys.

4. to presume; venture.

   I can't pretend to say what went wrong.

5. to allege or profess, especially insincerely or falsely.

   He pretended to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make believe.

2. to lay claim to (usually followed byto ).

   She pretended to the throne.

3. to make pretensions (usually followed byto ).

   He pretends to great knowledge.

4. Obsolete. to aspire, as a suitor or candidate (followed byto ).

adjective

1. Informal. make-believe; simulated; counterfeit.

   pretend diamonds.

pretend British  

/ prɪˈtɛnd /

verb

1. (when tr, usually takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to claim or allege (something untrue)

2. (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to make believe, as in a play

   you pretend to be Ophelia

3. to present a claim, esp a dubious one

   to pretend to the throne

4. obsolete to aspire as a candidate or suitor (for)

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adjective

1. fanciful; make-believe; simulated

   a pretend gun

Related Words

Pretend, affect, assume, feign imply an attempt to create a false appearance. To pretend is to create an imaginary characteristic or to play a part: to pretend sorrow. To affect is to make a consciously artificial show of having qualities that one thinks would look well and impress others: to affect shyness. To assume is to take on or put on a specific outward appearance, often (but not always) with intent to deceive: to assume an air of indifference. To feign implies using ingenuity in pretense, and some degree of imitation of appearance or characteristics: to feign surprise.

Etymology

Origin of pretend

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English pretenden, from Latin praetendere “to stretch forth, put forward, pretend.” See pre-, tend ¹

Explanation

To pretend is to act as if you're someone else. If you pretend to be your mother for a phone conference with your math teacher, try putting on her high heels to help you get into character. When children or actors are pretending, it's fine, just playing. But if you pretend to someone who doesn't know you're just playing, you're likely to be condemned for it. No one likes it of you pretend to be a good member of the community just so people won't suspect you when you steal things from their houses. You might pretend you went to Harvard to impress someone, but if he finds out you didn't, he'll be very unimpressed.

Example Sentences

“You got questions for me? Fine. Pretend I’m a random fishing boat and fire away.”

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025

Pretend that I’m like any other player,’” Aquino says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 26, 2025

In April of this year he started to advertise Pretend To Work, and within a month all the workstations were full.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2025

Pretend that I didn’t know the facts, because they challenged the narrative about who we were, and how my hubris had contributed to it.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2024

“Look. It’s like every moment in time is a diamond sitting on this ring. Pretend the ring is really big, with diamonds all around, and each diamond is one moment. Got it?”

From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead

Related Words

• assume
• bluff
• feign
• fool
• impersonate
• profess
• purport
• put on