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
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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
Tania Francois, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
The fake store contained an app that pretended to come from Brazil’s social security system, which Kaspersky analyzed and found to be malicious.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
Federal agents pretended to be NYPD plainclothes officers looking for a missing child to kidnap a Columbia University student in university housing.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Then, an experimenter presented the bonobo with two empty, transparent cups and pretended to pour juice from an empty pitcher into each cup.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Korea’s Kim Seon-yeong and Sweden’s Isabella Wranå pretended their brooms were air guitars.
—Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Best of all, Andrew Guest and Daniel Destin Cretton’s limited series is dependent on and a showcase for its two leads in ways previous Marvel projects only pretended to be.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
That's something even Tesla has only pretended to do.
—Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Moton, covered in Liuzzo’s blood, pretended to be dead, then set off to find help after the men departed.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 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
Moïse told jurors she was shot first, then pretended to be dead.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
The fake store contained an app that pretended to come from Brazil’s social security system, which Kaspersky analyzed and found to be malicious.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
Federal agents pretended to be NYPD plainclothes officers looking for a missing child to kidnap a Columbia University student in university housing.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Then, an experimenter presented the bonobo with two empty, transparent cups and pretended to pour juice from an empty pitcher into each cup.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Korea’s Kim Seon-yeong and Sweden’s Isabella Wranå pretended their brooms were air guitars.
—Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Best of all, Andrew Guest and Daniel Destin Cretton’s limited series is dependent on and a showcase for its two leads in ways previous Marvel projects only pretended to be.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
That's something even Tesla has only pretended to do.
—Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Moton, covered in Liuzzo’s blood, pretended to be dead, then set off to find help after the men departed.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretended
Adjective
-
This mock draft has edge rushers off the board with the second, third and fourth selections.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Fast forward through a remote interview, an in-person interview and a mock assignment, and Manaois had landed the job.—
Sarah Jackson,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If filmmakers can prompt fake actors to deliver precise performances, where does that leave human actors?—
Holly Willis,
The Conversation,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The 18-minute fake pitch meeting!—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Here, The Athletic has posed our club correspondents with a series of questions about the run-in — and whether or not their team will qualify for the Champions League next season.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Peiser posed a score of 596 to tie the NCAA championship record.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Grenell assumed the interim executive director role at the Kennedy Center in February 2025.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Claire was initially surprised that this busybody had assumed the role of her official helper without an invitation.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
When Sony ultimately gets its way, Anderson and DiCaprio’s once-close relationship is noticeably strained on set.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with those claims at a White House meeting last year that underlined the strained relationship.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
D'Orazio followed with a two-run, ground-rule double.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Batting in the leadoff spot, Boston’s top shortstop prospect, Franklin Arias, got the scoring started in the bottom of the third with a go-ahead two-run double off the wall.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The suit further alleges that MC2 Model Management—a firm co-founded by Epstein — acted as a cover for trafficking, using Bank of America accounts to recruit young women under the guise of modeling opportunities.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
This marks the second time in March that a Florida public university has acted against a Republican student group over racist or antisemitic conduct.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These additional effects are entirely simulated.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
-
By comparing electromagnetic field readings from the test track and the benchtop device, the researchers confirmed that their device accurately simulated the test conditions.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretended. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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