1. (

• pretense ,
• pretence ,
• pretending ,
• simulation ,
• feigning

) the act of giving a false appearance; "his conformity was only pretending" ;

1. (

• feign ,
• sham ,
• pretend ,
• affect ,
• dissemble

) make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache" ;

2. (

• dissemble ,
• pretend ,
• act ,

) behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting" ;

3. (

• pretend ,

) put forward a claim and assert right or possession of; "pretend the title of King" ;

4. (

• guess ,
• venture ,
• pretend ,
• hazard

) put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation; "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong" ;

5. (

• make ,
• pretend ,
• make_believe ,

) represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress" ;

6. (

• profess ,
• pretend ,

) state insincerely; "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine" ;

1. (

• make-believe ,
• pretend

) imagined as in a play; "the make-believe world of theater"; "play money"; "dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish" ;