pretend
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Of course, Cumming is still happy to put on a glittery outfit, amp up his Scottish accent and pretend to be the lord of the castle on “The Traitors.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
And this "enabled the club to pretend that such funds represented operating income".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Herzog doesn’t have the answer to that question, and he doesn’t pretend to.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
But I don’t want to pretend I value the friendship more than I do, simply because she’s generous.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
I focus on the ice in the bottom of my cup, try to pretend I can’t feel the weight of his stare.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
In other words, European rearmament will take time, and nobody even pretends that European troops are today fully prepared to replace American brigades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
"He is not happy, he pretends he is happy," said Tamim.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Under the blazing Vegas sun, giant billboards advertise "Live Enhanced" as the baritone voice of a sports announcer pretends to introduce British swimmer Ben Proud and other athletes.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
“He’s not crazy, he only pretends to be” isn’t a viable defense in the real world.
From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2026
Ren pretends to be looking for a whiteboard marker, but really she’s just letting us talk.
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
A classic Arabic expression describes the brazen audacity of those who attack and then cry victim: “He slapped me, pretended to cry, and then ran to complain.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
He then pretended to board the old Air Force One, only to secretly switch planes by hiding in a refueling truck, due to security threats.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Instead, Owens pretended there are numerous holes in the case.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
In 2024, the Foreign Office confirmed then-foreign secretary Lord Cameron had been the victim of a hoax call in which someone pretended to be former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Does that mean your sister was someone who pretended to be a whatnot, too?”
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
You know it, they know it, there’s no point pretending otherwise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
Learning how to fall and pretending you have superpowers can’t cancel out physics.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
That framework was reassuring to me because it doesn’t require pretending that your 20s are just one long savings challenge.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Last year, a Romanian national was arrested when he tried to re-enter the U.S. in a Mexican ambulance pretending to be an injured American, court records show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Just as Edmond Dantès had tricked his captors by pretending to be a dead body, she had tricked the Babushkinovs into bringing her to Saint Petersburg.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Vocabulary lists containing pretend
"Eleven"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Eleven," Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, Chapters 1–3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
