pretend
verb (used with object)
to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so.
pretending
-
present participleof pretend.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Fielder is left wondering whether she’s genuinely unaware of the deal Evans negotiated or merely pretending not to know.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
She filmed a video with an aide - which was posted to X -on the president's plane, pretending to be interviewing for the White House press secretary role.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
The phone call had come from Amacher—the man now complaining the situation has been blown out of proportion—who said he had called the center, pretending to be a member of Talarico’s family.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
In one, she holds up a finger covered in red marker to look like blood, pretending to be a patient who asks how much stitches will cost, and is later shocked by the bill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Dad’s not the dad he’s been pretending to be.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
