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- DictionaryPre·tend/prēˈtend/
verb
- 1. speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not: "I closed my eyes and pretended I was asleep"
- 2. lay claim to (a quality or title): "he cannot pretend to sophistication"
adjective
- 1. not really what it is represented as being; used in a game or deception: informal "the children are pouring out pretend tea for the dolls"
The meaning of PRETEND is to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing. How to use pretend in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Pretend.
to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, especially in order to deceive people or as a game: [ + (that) ] He pretended (that) he didn't mind, but I knew that he did. The children pretended (that) they were dinosaurs.
Synonyms for PRETEND: pose, play, assume, act, dissimulate, make believe, dissemble, fake; Antonyms of PRETEND: real, natural, genuine, true, legitimate, authentic, bona fide, valuable.
To pretend is to act as if you're someone else. If you pretend to be your mother for a phone conference with your math teacher, try putting on her high heels to help you get into character. When children or actors are pretending, it's fine, just playing.
to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, esp. in order to deceive people or as a game: [ + to infinitive ] Tom pretends to care. [ + (that) clause ] The children pretended (that) they were dinosaurs.
Definition of pretend verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
1. to claim; profess; allege. to pretend ignorance of the law. 2. to claim or profess falsely; feign; simulate. to pretend anger. 3. to make believe, as in play. to pretend to be astronauts.
to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so: to pretend illness; to pretend that nothing is wrong. to appear falsely, as to deceive; feign: to pretend to go to sleep. to make believe: The children pretended to be cowboys.
Pretend Definition. To claim or profess falsely; feign; simulate. To pretend anger. To claim; profess; allege. To pretend ignorance of the law. To make believe, as in children's play. To pretend to be astronauts. To lay claim. To pretend to a throne.
To pretend is to create an imaginary characteristic or to play a part: to pretend sorrow. To affect is to make a consciously artificial show of having qualities that one thinks would look well and impress others: to affect shyness.