pretending

nounfeigning

Synonyms for pretending

noun feigning

loafing

adjective. ostensibly employed, but wasting time

Word Origin & History

late 14c., "to profess, assert, maintain" (a claim, etc.), "to direct (one's) efforts," from Old French pretendre "to lay claim," from Latin praetendere "stretch in front, put forward, allege," from prae "before" (see pre-) + tendere "to stretch," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch" (see tend).

Main modern sense of "feign, put forward a false claim" is recorded from c.1400; the older sense of simply "to claim" is behind the string of royal pretenders (1690s) in English history. Meaning "to play, make believe" is recorded from 1865. In 17c. pretend also could mean "make a suit of marriage for," from a sense in French. Related: Pretended; pretending.

Example Sentences for pretending

Either that or pretending—I don't know which, and I don't care.

I am an adept in pretending that I don't see, and I don't hear.

My mother sent for me down, pretending to want to say something to me.

I walked straight towards the man, pretending not to know he was there.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself, an old fellow like you pretending to be so good-looking.

That's exactly what I was pretending to be afraid you might do.

Pretending to be friendly with me, and knowing all the time that you were doing your best to cheat——'

The boys think I'm just pretending to do my duty for the looks of it; but I ain't.

I sat there all evening pretending to read and feeling that he was doing the same.

I mean to say, it was the most utter rot, pretending seriously that way.

pretending

Synonyms for pretending

hypothetical

loafing

ostentation

pretending

Synonyms for pretending

More words related to pretending

acting

hypothetical

loafing

ostentation