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.

With the writer’s blessing he jotted down their conversations and interviewed his friends and associates; McMurtry tolerated these intrusions “as long as he could pretend I wasn’t writing a book,” Mr. Streitfeld tells us.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Neither is it ethically appropriate for a media company to pretend it doesn’t exist, or to recast it as a launch for a reality show storyline.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

You don’t get to walk into my courtroom, pretend that’s top of mind, then obfuscate when I ask why your office is still running illegally.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

The group was struggling because one had been diagnosed with late-stage cancer; because only two of the women were legally married, the third had to pretend to be a sister for hospital visits.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Instead, I forced a smile on to my face and prepared myself for our pretend family photograph.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler