1
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
he shows a pretended affection for his girlfriend's cat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
hoped that his pretended interest in classical music would impress the boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in posed
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
2
as in assumed
to present a false appearance of
as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretended
Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2022
No, seriously: People were very upset by these shoes, or at least pretended to be.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 31 Aug. 2017
Harry Harris, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Griffin has never pretended to be a radical innovator or a savant.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
In the meetup, the buyer was examining the cards, pretended to pay, sprayed the seller with pepper spray and then ran away with the cards.
—Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Escape and aftermath The victim returned home, locked the doors, and called Jones, who pretended to be supportive and then phoned 911 despite having orchestrated the attack, prosecutors said.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 12 June 2026
For years, notarios — notary publics — in Miami have pretended to be immigration lawyers, with devastating consequences, like financial ruin or deportations orders for the immigrants who trust them.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
King pretended to be dead as Lee tried to wrench open the cash register.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Samara Weaving once pretended to be her lookalike friend, Margot Robbie.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Faced with one of Musk’s seemingly impossible mandates, those strong employees rarely pretended to already know the solution.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 May 2026
Adjective
What most activates Dunn’s rage is the misogyny that only deepened amid all the pretended freedoms of the counterculture.
—Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2022
No, seriously: People were very upset by these shoes, or at least pretended to be.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 31 Aug. 2017
Verb
In the first incident, the victim pretended to sleep during the attack.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Griffin has never pretended to be a radical innovator or a savant.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
In the meetup, the buyer was examining the cards, pretended to pay, sprayed the seller with pepper spray and then ran away with the cards.
—Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Escape and aftermath The victim returned home, locked the doors, and called Jones, who pretended to be supportive and then phoned 911 despite having orchestrated the attack, prosecutors said.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 12 June 2026
For years, notarios — notary publics — in Miami have pretended to be immigration lawyers, with devastating consequences, like financial ruin or deportations orders for the immigrants who trust them.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
King pretended to be dead as Lee tried to wrench open the cash register.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Samara Weaving once pretended to be her lookalike friend, Margot Robbie.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Faced with one of Musk’s seemingly impossible mandates, those strong employees rarely pretended to already know the solution.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
Adjective
-
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
The mock-neck tank pairs effortlessly with jeans, shorts, or skirts, while the floral wide-leg pants can stand on their own with a simple white tee.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Despite the highs, however, there were some low moments in the week — including a near run-in with Scooter Braun and an insult from a radio analyst who deemed Swift a fake Knicks fan.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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To make matters worse, cybercriminals are using fake FIFA sites, bogus ticket offers and phony job ads to scam viewers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Soccer fans on their way to the first World Cup game in New Jersey moved through the crowds dressed in their jerseys, as others donned their Knicks gear and posed in front of the basketball mecca.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this posed a threat to maritime security and accused the EU of intimidating civilian vessels.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
This year, the United Arab Emirates was told its gas leaks less methane than everyone had assumed.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
When Perimenopause Actually Starts A February 2025 study in npj Women’s Health by UVA Health and Flo Health found perimenopausal symptoms starting much earlier than commonly assumed.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Jay has just one hour of oxygen left to forge an escape, applying the knowledge and skill set his late father passed on to him, while also reconciling their strained relationship in the process.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
The council listened, with strained faces and large eyes.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Then and only then did Brunson wrap his head in a towel, double over at the waist and start crying.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
The Angels added to their advantage in the sixth inning when Guzman delivered a two-out two-run single and Walton followed with his run-scoring double.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The establishment of the fund comes less than two weeks after a district court judge ruled the Kennedy Center's board acted unlawfully in adding the president's name and in making plans for two years of closure and renovations.—
Emma Nicholson,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Sarkissian, whose family started one of the first banquet halls in Los Angeles, remembers that his father acted as a friend and counselor to a lot of immigrants who suffered extreme culture shock.—
Ani Duzdabanyan,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Aaru, a two-year-old AI startup, simulated all of those voters—agents built from the kind of data the company collects, like credit card purchasing history, food-delivery orders, and demographic records—and tried to predict how the votes would be cast.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
In the last full-scale drill three years ago, crews simulated a hostage situation involving an explosive device, highlighting how the scenarios evolve over time.—
Hannah McIlree,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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