pretend to (something)
idiom
formal
: to claim that one has (something, such as a quality or ability)
She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don't believe her.
—usually used in negative statementsI don't pretend to any expertise in these matters.
Examples of pretend to (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Let Lilian slow down and hesitate before issuing a greeting—Maureen would pretend to neither hear nor see her.
—
Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
Scammers often pretend to be legitimate financial advisors and target older people with retirement nest eggs.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Assigned to cover the Pentagon for the conservative outlet One America News Network, Gabrielle Cuccia didn't pretend to be an unbiased reporter.
—Arkansas Online, 8 June 2025
Most take a picture with Spider-Man, and everyone who does, every single one, shapes their own fingers into that Ozzy devil-horn thing and, as Spider-Man would, pretend to blast out a tendril of spider fluid.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
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Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
Scammers often pretend to be legitimate financial advisors and target older people with retirement nest eggs.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Assigned to cover the Pentagon for the conservative outlet One America News Network, Gabrielle Cuccia didn't pretend to be an unbiased reporter.
—Arkansas Online, 8 June 2025
Most take a picture with Spider-Man, and everyone who does, every single one, shapes their own fingers into that Ozzy devil-horn thing and, as Spider-Man would, pretend to blast out a tendril of spider fluid.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
Cite this Entry
“Pretend to (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretend%20to%20%28something%29. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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