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Showing results for "feigning"
  • present participle of feign.
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Synonyms

feigning

American  
[fey-ning] / feɪ nɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of pretending or putting on a show in order to deceive.

    The feigning of hurt feelings is just a manipulative ploy she uses.


adjective

  1. putting on a show in order to deceive; pretending.

    “It hurts,” moaned the feigning child on the floor, gripping her ankle in a convincing display of pain.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of feigning

First recorded in 1350–1400; feign ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun; feign ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective

Vocabulary lists containing feigning

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:

"Showing awareness could suggest a degree of mutual understanding," but feigning ignorance signals that the issue could become a key bargaining point in any future talks with Trump, Hong said.

From Barron's Aug. 19, 2026

Manager Dave Roberts and his pitching coaches haven’t been particularly forthcoming, either, feigning ignorance about the glove that looks as big as Sasaki’s head.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 29, 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

“I worry our final mission to test what we’ve created might suffer without Epsilon-5 accompanying me,” I say, feigning disappointment.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

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