pretended

[pri-ten-did] / prɪˈtɛn dɪd /

ADJECTIVE

alleged; imaginary

Synonyms

STRONG

affected assumed avowed bluffing cheating concealed counterfeit covered dissimulated fake falsified feigned lying masked mock pretend professed purported quack sham shammed simulated supposed

WEAK

artificial bogus charlatan factitious false fictitious impostrous imposturous make believe ostensible phony pseudo put on so-called spurious

Antonyms

STRONG

bare exposed genuine open original real revealed true

WEAK

sincere

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.

I nodded, but I’d have been lying if I said I hadn’t come for the lynx—or pretended that the distant views through the scope on day one had been entirely satisfying.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

But as Hull wrote: “Spirit Airlines wasn’t perfect. But it was safe, and it never pretended to be something it wasn’t.”

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

“We tried to have a baby and we tried to have a baby and when my parents and sister and friends asked I pretended I didn’t want one,” Khong writes.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Dubois, who once pretended to be a boy named Colin so she could be allowed to box, also received a warm reception as she entered to "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney Houston.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

I thought of Patch and pretended I was holding his warm little hand.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

pretended

Example Sentences

Related Words