Definition of PRETEND

pretend

Noun

  • the enactment of a pretense
    • "it was just pretend"
  • The act of engaging in pretend play.

Verb

Verb Forms: pretended, pretending, pretends

  • To act as if something is true, often for play or deception.
  • make believe with the intent to deceive
  • behave unnaturally or affectedly
  • put forward a claim and assert right or possession of
    • "pretend the title of King"
  • put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
    • "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong"
  • represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
  • state insincerely
    • "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"
    • "She pretends to be an expert on wine"
  • To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
  • To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
  • To engage in make-believe.
  • To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
  • To feign, affect (a state, quality, etc.).
  • To lay claim (to an ability, status, advantage, etc.).
  • To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.
  • To intend; to design, to plot; to attempt.
  • To hold before one; to extend.

Adjective Satellite

  • imagined as in a play
    • "dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish"

Adj

  • Not really what it is represented as being; imaginary, feigned.

Examples

  • As children we used to go on "spying" missions around the neighbour's house, but it was all pretend.
  • He would PRETEND to be contemplating a complex play, when in fact, he’d already seen the obvious bingo.
  • If you don't like it, say so. You don't have to pretend.
  • She didn't have a real piano to play, so she just pretended.
  • She moved her fingers across the desk, pretending to play the piano.
  • She's pretending illness to get out of the business meeting.
  • The family's exile was intended to stop them pretending to the throne.
  • To get into the club, he pretended to be over 18.
  • We used to dress up in our grandparents' old clothes and play pretend.
  • You don't have to pretend that the soup tastes fine.
  • You don't have to pretend to like the soup.

Origin / Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pretendre, Middle French pretendre (French prétendre (“to claim, demand”)), from Latin praetendere (“to put forward, hold out, pretend”), from prae- (“pre-”) + tendō (“stretch”); see tend.

Synonyms

act, affect, dissemble, feign, guess, hazard, make, make believe, make-believe, profess, sham, venture, make like

Scrabble Score: 10

pretend: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
pretend: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pretend: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

pretend: valid Words With Friends Word