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- pronunciation:
- prih
tend
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, adjective
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb)
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
pretends, pretending, pretended |
| definition 1: |
to claim or represent falsely or insincerely in order to deceive.
She pretended to be our ally, but, in fact, she was working against us.He pretended to be interested in what she was saying.She pretended to enjoy the party even though she was miserable.- synonyms:
- purport
- similar words:
- allege, claim, misrepresent, profess
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| definition 2: |
to give an appearance of truth or reality to (that which is false or imaginary).
The tyrant pretends concern for the well-being of the citizens.- synonyms:
- counterfeit, dissemble, fake, feign, sham, simulate
- similar words:
- act, affect, assume, dissimulate, fabricate, falsify, imitate, profess
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| definition 3: |
esp. in play, to imagine (something) to be so, or to act as if (something) were so.
Let's pretend that we are explorers.The children pretended to be pirates.
- synonyms:
- act, make believe
- similar words:
- fancy, imagine, playact, suppose
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| definition 4: |
claim; profess.
I cannot pretend to know better than the judge.- synonyms:
- claim, profess
- similar words:
- allege, purport
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| related words: |
counterfeit, don, impersonate, play |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to act the part of a real or imagined character, or act out imaginary events, in play; make believe.
The children love pretending.- synonyms:
- make believe, playact
- similar words:
- act, fool, imagine
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| definition 2: |
to venture or put forward a claim, often undeservingly (often fol. by "to").
He pretends to expertise in all aspects of the job, but we haven't seen much proof of it.- similar words:
- claim, profess
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| related words: |
fake, lie, masquerade, pose, quack |
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| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition: |
being something imaginary or make-believe.
The children were playing in the backyard with their pretend swords. |
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