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- pronunciation:
- prih
tend
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, adjective
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Grammatical Patterns
| 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.[verb + infinitive
]
He pretended to be interested in what she was saying.[verb + infinitive
]
She pretended to enjoy the party even though she was miserable.[verb + infinitive
]
- 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.[verb + (that) + clause
]
The children pretended to be pirates.[verb + infinitive
]
- 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.[verb + infinitive
]
- 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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