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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:

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

Manager Daniel Farke accused Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" and break up play.

From BBC Apr. 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

“There was not a trace of feigning good humor about him.”

From Salon Nov. 8, 2025

Then she leans over and I’m sure she’s going to kiss my forehead like she used to when I was a little girl, but I roll away from her, still feigning sleep.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

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