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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pretend
Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 12 June 2025
Scam warnings have been issued in multiple states over criminals pretending to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Jordana Comiter, People.com, 7 May 2025
Before kick-off, the ‘Fondo Norte’ area behind the goal on the north side of the stadium was empty, except for two fans playing a pretend game of tennis.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Verb
In a video shared to the platform, the teen first pretends to make an egg disappear after balancing on top of a bottle of water.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 12 June 2025
Scam warnings have been issued in multiple states over criminals pretending to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Adjective
In the book, Hannah tries to get the attention of her longtime crush Justin — a college rock band singer — by tutoring the captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 7 May 2025
Before kick-off, the ‘Fondo Norte’ area behind the goal on the north side of the stadium was empty, except for two fans playing a pretend game of tennis.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretend
Verb
-
Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
-
Follow these recommendations from the NWS to stay safe in heavy rain: Beware of swollen waterways: During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Sponsors may assume their site partners are ready, only to discover costly delays during study startup.—
Sonali Bloom,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
For present purposes, the Court can assume (as seems likely) that Congress intended to preclude the President (or any subordinate officials acting at his direction) from directing, supervising, or controlling the Corporation.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The tufted back and seat cushions add a touch of elegance, while the faux leather upholstery ensures durability and easy maintenance.—
Jené Luciani Sena
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
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Over time, it’s led me to get creative — color me an unofficial professional at finding (faux) diamonds in the rough (a.k.a. luxurious-looking, affordable gems).—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
But what were his motivations for the sculptural cut that reduced the body by a third, literally disabling all of the fetish’s functions except for those of its primary feature, the design, thereby intensifying it, endowing it even with an imaginary, almost futuristic acceleration?—
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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Dairy farmers should not be the villains in an imaginary climate change narrative - they should be respected as part of the backbone of our state's rural economy and heritage.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
Sarah Snook, who played Shiv Roy on that HBO drama, was nominated (and went on to win!), following in the footsteps of her costars Jeremy Strong and Keiran Culkin.—
Melissa Locker,
Time,
9 June 2025
-
When healthy, Brisker is a versatile safety who can play close to the line of scrimmage and even totaled four sacks as a rookie in 2022.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement Read More: The Worst Thing to Say to Someone Who’s Depressed In the June report, the organization stressed that AI tools that simulate human relationships need to be designed with safeguards that mitigate potential harm.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
12 June 2025
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Researchers say a working quantum computer will be a useful tool to simulate complicated physics or do math that could decipher encrypted data.—
Chris Eudaily,
CNBC,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
5 June 2025
-
Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
That’s the assessment in Ari Aster’s Eddington, which views that collective national trauma through the microcosm of a fictitious New Mexico small town.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
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The trials and tribulations of the fictitious protagonist, however, have precedents.—
Angelica Frey,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretend. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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