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
Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
The most common government impersonation scam so far this year involves scammers who pretend to be toll road operators, according to the FTC.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 30 July 2025
Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Indeed, so realistic was this pretend moon that Cowan and fellow imaging experts had to wear protective clothing to prevent the simulated lunar dust from being breathed in, or getting in their hair or on their clothes.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Verb
Randy Almanzar, 25, pretended to be a salesperson for a pest control service, then took advantage of a juvenile in Hazel Green, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said in a July 30 news release.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
The most common government impersonation scam so far this year involves scammers who pretend to be toll road operators, according to the FTC.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 30 July 2025
Adjective
Here were hundreds of people fighting in a pretend war, a hobby known as airsoft, with very real-looking guns that shoot plastic pellets.
—Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Indeed, so realistic was this pretend moon that Cowan and fellow imaging experts had to wear protective clothing to prevent the simulated lunar dust from being breathed in, or getting in their hair or on their clothes.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretend
Verb
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One of my earliest memories is standing in the living room of a small house in Garden City, Michigan, mimicking Hulk Hogan’s pose down to my laughing parents.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
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In one of the images, the former NBA star’s daughter, Elisa, 30, posed next to him in a black dress.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger, with Brown’s character flying to Atlanta to find his wife, who was previously assumed dead.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
28 July 2025
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For Farke, too, his quips throughout the week, and one assumes throughout the whole season, are central to building his own relationship with the players.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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So this fall, consider swapping your jeans and faux leather pants for suede trousers.—
Alexandre Marain,
Glamour,
1 Aug. 2025
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Crossbody Bags Inspired by Jessica Alba Between the square silhouette and front buckles, this faux leather crossbody bag looks similar to the one Alba just wore.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Is all this merely a sci-fi imaginary consideration?—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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And yes, it will be displayed, but mercifully, not in an imaginary basement.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Cash, 47, played for Francona when the Reds manager helmed the Boston Red Sox and then served as Francona’s bullpen coach in Cleveland before becoming the Rays’ manager.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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Messi and Alba practiced with the club Friday in anticipation of playing in Saturday’s match before MLS announced the suspension.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
26 July 2025
Verb
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The captain announces the trip, vibrating chairs simulate the real thing while the plane windows offer views of the departure city (San Francisco), the sky and the tarmac upon landing in Mexico City.—
Susan Stapleton,
AZCentral.com,
31 July 2025
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Meanwhile, with the advent of AI and 3D modeling, aesthetic procedures such as breast augmentation and rhinoplasty can be simulated in detail to help envision outcomes and predict potential complications based on the analysis of personalized patient data.—
Ingrid Schmidt,
HollywoodReporter,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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How tariff news fuels some scams The Better Business Bureau warned earlier this summer that some scammers are using fake excuses involving delays caused by tariffs to cover up fraudulent online orders.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
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Instead, the mysterious company started by a legislative aide under a fake name helped three people funnel more than $50,000 to two politicians and a top aide, federal prosecutors said.—
Craig Shoup,
The Tennessean,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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An adoption of a fictitious docudrama style, where scenarios are created for the show’s cast, brought in more subpar episodes which many feel didn’t help the cause.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 July 2025
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Unsurprisingly, then, scammers are also keen to exploit this by way of fictitious job opportunities through unofficial channels, websites, emails, and text messages.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretend. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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