1
as in to pose
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
I pretended that I didn't care that my ex had a new man in her life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to assume
to present a false appearance of
as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
if you were to see the movie's pretend jewels in real life, you wouldn't be fooled for a minute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
it's just a pretend gun, so please pretend that I got you and play dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretend
David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
As the Huskies prepare to face No. 1 overall seed UCLA in the Final Four on Friday (9:30 p.m., ESPN) at Amalie Arena, there’s no more pretending that the next matchup is just like any other.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2025
Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
Kotb was riding her Peloton bike while her daughter played on a pretend bike and lifted miniature weights.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Verb
With the reelection of Trump, our tech giants now no longer even pretend to care.
—Adjective
What are the best play kitchens for kids? Play kitchens are popular with all kinds of children as an excellent vehicle for pretend play, whether playing solo, with other kids or adults.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretend
Verb
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Looking at the drawings and the question posed, the dad felt confused.—
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Which again, then posed for African Americans, stressing their fiscal citizenship was key to their own Black politics during the Jim Crow era.—
Verb
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Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Brazile, in a tentative ruling issued on Thursday, denied CBS’ bid for a court order that would’ve temporarily blocked Sony’s efforts from assuming distribution.—
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And there’s usually some wiggle room, a premium being paid to reap future opportunities or a discount to assume some risk.—
Adjective
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This smart-looking slip-on is available in a variety of materials, including faux nubuck and leather.—
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At the stores, bestsellers in ready-to-wear have been their cashmeres and leathers, along with faux fur and items with special details such as rhinestones.—
Adjective
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Barrymore then launched up from her seat to showcase how Mr. Clean shows off his sensual side, shaking her hips and waving an imaginary mop.—
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Don’t wait for an official decision – get your imaginary head space cast list started.—
Verb
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Engage Your Senses In a shared office environment, playing loud music or lighting a scented candle is frowned upon.—
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Working with seasoned veterans was also a thrill for Frenchman Renan Pacheco, who scored his first major American role playing Lane’s love interest in the pilot.—
Verb
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Using grand feu enamel to simulate drips of nail polish has to be a first in high watchmaking, and who but a high-fashion brand to pioneer the art form?—
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By turning the water temperature to freezing, the process simulates when amphibians and reptiles conserve energy in the winter, when food is scarce and temperatures are low.—
Adjective
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These platforms sell complete phishing kits—web hosting, SMS delivery systems, fake landing pages, encryption tools—to other cybercriminals who want to run scams at scale.—
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Nancy Marks, Santos’ former campaign treasurer, admitted to filing bogus campaign finance reports filled with fake donors and a fake $500,000 personal loan from Santos.—
Adjective
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In addition to retiring the mortgage early, the move would save our fictitious borrower $46,920.89 in interest.—
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Between February and August 2022, prosecutors say Santos used her credit card repeatedly, attributing donations to her, her daughter, or fictitious names.—
Cite this Entry
“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretend. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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