PRETEND

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does pretend mean? 

• PRETEND (noun)
  The noun PRETEND has 1 sense:

1. the enactment of a pretense

  Familiarity information: PRETEND used as a noun is very rare.

• PRETEND (adjective)
  The adjective PRETEND has 1 sense:

1. imagined as in a play

  Familiarity information: PRETEND used as an adjective is very rare.

• PRETEND (verb)
  The verb PRETEND has 6 senses:

1. make believe with the intent to deceive

2. behave unnaturally or affectedly

3. put forward a claim and assert right or possession of

4. put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation

5. represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like

6. state insincerely

  Familiarity information: PRETEND used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRETEND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The enactment of a pretense

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

make-believe; pretend

Context example:

it was just pretend

Hypernyms ("pretend" is a kind of...):

feigning; pretence; pretending; pretense; simulation (the act of giving a false appearance)

Derivation:

pretend (represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like)

• PRETEND (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Imagined as in a play

Synonyms:

make-believe; pretend

Context example:

dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish

Similar:

unreal (lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria)

• PRETEND (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pretend    ... he / she / it pretends   
Past simple: pretended   
Past participle: pretended   
-ing form: pretending   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make believe with the intent to deceive

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

affect; dissemble; feign; pretend; sham

Context example:

He shammed a headache

Hypernyms (to "pretend" is one way to...):

belie; misrepresent (represent falsely)

Verb group:

make; make believe; pretend (represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pretend"):

play possum (to pretend to be dead)

take a dive (pretend to be knocked out, as of a boxer)

bull; bullshit; fake; talk through one's hat (speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths)

mouth (articulate silently; form words with the lips only)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

pretender (a person who makes deceitful pretenses)

pretending; pretense (the act of giving a false appearance)

pretense (pretending with intention to deceive)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Behave unnaturally or affectedly

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

act; dissemble; pretend

Context example:

She's just acting

Verb group:

act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pretend"):

assume; feign; sham; simulate (make a pretence of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

pretender (a person who makes deceitful pretenses)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put forward a claim and assert right or possession of

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

pretend the title of King

Hypernyms (to "pretend" is one way to...):

arrogate; claim; lay claim (demand as being one's due or property; assert one's right or title to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

Pretender (a claimant to the throne or to the office of ruler (usually without just title))

pretense (a false or unsupportable quality)

pretension (the advancing of a claim)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

guess; hazard; pretend; venture

Context example:

I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong

Hypernyms (to "pretend" is one way to...):

speculate (talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pretend"):

anticipate; call; forebode; foretell; predict; prognosticate; promise (make a prediction about; tell in advance)

surmise; suspect (imagine to be the case or true or probable)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 5

Meaning:

Represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

make; make believe; pretend

Context example:

She makes like an actress

Hypernyms (to "pretend" is one way to...):

act; play; represent (play a role or part)

Verb group:

affect; dissemble; feign; pretend; sham (make believe with the intent to deceive)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pretend"):

go through the motions (pretend to do something by acting as if one was really doing it)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

pretend (the enactment of a pretense)

Sense 6

Meaning:

State insincerely

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

pretend; profess

Context example:

She pretends to be an expert on wine

Hypernyms (to "pretend" is one way to...):

claim (assert or affirm strongly; state to be true or existing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

 Context examples 

They know we are poor, so it's no use pretending that we have grooms, buy three or four hats a season, and have things as easy and fine as they do.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I think he knows it, though he pretends he don't.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

You pretend to be shocked by what I have said.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The truth is, ma'am, said Mrs. Grant, pretending to whisper across the table to Mrs. Norris, that Dr.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Her eldest daughter had great personal beauty, and the younger ones, by pretending to be as handsome as their sister, imitating her air, and dressing in the same style, did very well.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Anne was obliged to turn away, to rise, to walk to a distant table, and, leaning there in pretended employment, try to subdue the feelings this picture excited.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

“I can’t pretend that I shall ever like him,” said the lawyer.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Had he been on deck, he could no longer so much as have pretended not to understand the situation.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I don’t pretend to understand it all yet, but very curious people anyway.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Can it not!” she cried, pretending to be offended.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)