Pretend can mean to act as if something is true, to claim something insincerelyin a way that is not honest or genuine, or to play at something in make-believeimaginative play or a situation treated as if real. It can also be used for the idea of make-believe itself, especiallyparticularly; more than other things of the same kind in children’s play.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /prɪˈtɛnd/
Easy pronunciation: prih-TEND (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Primary sense: verb meaning to act as if something is true or to take on a role.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pretend Meaning
to act as if something is true or to take on a role
Part of speech: verb
Definition: represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
Example: The children pretended to be pirates.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- make believe — Common substitute when pretending is playful or imaginative.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Pretend
Meaning 2
to say something as if it were true when it is not
Part of speech: verb
Definition: state insincerely
Example: She pretended not to know him.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- profess — Works when someone claims something, often falsely or insincerely.
- dissemble — More formal; hiding the truth by pretending.
- feign — Used when someone deliberately pretends a feeling or condition.
- sham — Used for faking a state or condition, often to deceive.
- affect — Can mean to put on a false appearance or manner.
Meaning 3
to act in a fake or overly formal way
Part of speech: verb
Definition: behave unnaturally or affectedly
Example: He tended to pretend around people he wanted to impress.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- act — Can fit this sense when someone puts on an artificial manner.
- dissemble — Works when the artificial behavior is meant to hide the real self.
- affect — Commonly used for behaving in an artificial way.
Meaning 4
make-believe or play-acting
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the enactment of a pretense
Example: It was just pretend.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- make-believe — Direct synonym for this noun sense.
Meaning 5
not real; used in play
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: imagined as in a play
Example: They caught pretend fish in the pond.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- make-believe — Works for something imaginary or used in play.
Meaning 6
to make a tentative guess or suggestion
Part of speech: verb
Definition: put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
Example: I cannot pretend to know the answer.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- guess — Works when pretend means to claim or suggest something uncertainly.
- venture — Used when someone offers a cautious guess.
- hazard — More formal; means to guess tentatively.
Meaning 7
to claim a title or right
Part of speech: verb
Definition: put forward a claim and assert right or possession of
Example: He pretended the title of king.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pretend Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- make believe
state insincerely
- profess
- dissemble
- feign
- sham
- affect
behave unnaturally or affectedly
- act
- dissemble
- affect
the enactment of a pretense
- make-believe
imagined as in a play
- make-believe
put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
- guess
- venture
- hazard
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using pretend as if it always means 'lie'; it can also mean to play make-believe or to act a role.
- Mixing up the adjective/noun 'pretend' with the verb sense.
- Using 'make' as a synonym in ordinary usage; it is too vague.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pretend mean?
Pretend usually means to act as if something is true, to play make-believe, or to claim something insincerely.
What are the best synonyms for pretend?
For the main sense, make believe is the closest everyday synonym. Other senses can use words like profess, feign, sham, dissemble, or guess, depending on the context.
Is pretend always negative?
No. It can be neutral or playful in make-believe contexts, but it is often negative when it means to be insincere or deceptive.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.