feign
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of.
to feign sickness.
-
to invent fictitiously or deceptively, as a story or an excuse.
-
to imitate deceptively.
to feign another's voice.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to put on a show of (a quality or emotion); pretend
to feign innocence
-
(tr) to make up; invent
to feign an excuse
-
(tr) to copy; imitate
to feign someone's laugh
Synonym Usage
See pretend.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
feignsimple
-
feignssimple
-
have feignedperfect
-
has feignedperfect
-
am feigningprogressive
-
are feigningprogressive
-
is feigningprogressive
-
have been feigningperfect progressive
-
has been feigningperfect progressive
Past
-
feignedsimple
-
had feignedperfect
-
was feigningprogressive
-
were feigningprogressive
-
had been feigningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of feign
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English fei(g)nen, from Old French feign-, present stem of faindre, feindre, from Latin fingere “to feign, invent, shape”
Explanation
For a more formal way to say pretend to or imitate, choose the verb feign. You might feign indifference when you hear about some gossip, but you're probably dying to know. Feign comes from the Latin fingere, "to devise, fabricate." The word fiction comes from the same source, so if you feign something such as sleep, you give off the fiction that you are sleeping. This can be done to be polite but also to deceive such as when you feign an injury or the flu so you can stay home from school or work. You can also feign an accent, though some are better at this than others.
Vocabulary lists containing feign
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Romeo and Juliet
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
ASVAB Word Knowledge
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It’s almost laughable for the president of Mexico to feign ignorance” about CIA activities in Mexico, said Gilberto Gonzalez, a former DEA agent who worked here in the 1980s and 1990s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
The difference: Your guests won’t have to feign enthusiasm after the thirtieth photo of you “holding up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
The Vault dwellers may have chin-tentacles and sinister secrets, but they understand something essential.In the post-apocalypse, the ability to feign normalcy — and further, to curate pleasure — is a luxury.
From Salon ● May 12, 2025
For now, though, there is no need to feign graciousness—and there is no need to pretend that any of this is or ever will be truly OK.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2024
Holmes did not think her so clever as to feign coma, but he held tight just the same.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
When I confront the group of boys, one feigns innocence, claiming he’d been speaking to his friend.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2024
Lydia, who craves to be seen by her family, feigns craving death because of her relationship with Barbara and Adam, who live in the afterlife.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2024
A burst of laughter and applause erupts from the crowd as he feigns confusion by turning and pointing to invisible supporters, as if he does not realize his back is to them.
From New York Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
Van Gaal and Berhalter have met before, by the way, although the Dutch coach feigns amnesia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2022
While Jasper, his spaniel ears a-droop, feigns indifference to the arrival of the cakes.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Once you’ve filled out your W-4 and feigned attentiveness during HR trainings, your new boss will start emailing you with tasks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
When another student enters and surveys the bodies on the ground in poorly feigned shock, few manage to suppress their giggles.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2025
For real — not like the astonishment Zoë Kravitz feigned in a Golden Globes-set episode of “The Studio,” faking disbelief at the podium when she knew all along that she was going to win.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2025
Ms Heer said Harris "feigned ignorance" by sending two messages to the victim asking what had happened.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025
He clings to his masculinity, his solitude and his feigned indifference so he can maintain his role, so he’ll never, ever have to show his feelings.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
In some cases, bureaucrats resorted to ostentatious gestures and outright fraud, feigning adherence to unrealistic targets and masking underperformance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Spaeny: It’s what every actor is thinking except they’re feigning ...
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
However, the “Hannah Montana” star did not end her mockery there—going on to accuse Cooper of feigning innocence about the proximity of their properties.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 31, 2026
He led off the “Weekend Update” sketch by feigning shock at her firing, asking viewers to “name one to 20 things she did wrong.”
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
It’s in the trunk of the cab now, cold again and stony, feigning innocence.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
