pretended
Americanadjective
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insincerely or falsely professed.
a pretended interest in art.
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feigned, fictitious, or counterfeit.
His pretended wealth was proved to be nonexistent.
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alleged or asserted; reputed.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pretended
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at pretend, -ed 2
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.
He slipped on the back steps last winter, and we both pretended it didn’t scare us, but he could have just as easily slipped on another stairwell.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026
Pressed — surely she’s pretended to be sick to get out of a party? — she concedes she has, explaining that she thought he meant the criminal case against her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Having pretended to die in battle to test the loyalty of his sons, he returns home to find them both in love with Aspasia, his fiancée.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
He then pretended to board the old Air Force One, only to secretly switch planes by hiding in a refueling truck, due to security threats.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
I pretended I was happy for the space so he didn’t feel bad.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
