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Antonyms for pretend

Grammar : Verb
Spell : pri-tend
Phonetic Transcription : prɪˈtɛnd


Definition of pretend

Origin :
  • 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.
  • verb fake, falsify
  • verb play the part of
Example sentences :
  • She would fall in with his better mood and pretend goodness!
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • I must not pretend, then, that I have a system ready to replace all the other systems.
  • Extract from : « A Treatise on Parents and Children » by George Bernard Shaw
  • When they come in, pretend you just came here in order to meet me.
  • Extract from : « Within the Law » by Marvin Dana
  • Why did you pretend to me that you and your wife were alone in the room—when you had that there with you, eh?
  • Extract from : « Within the Law » by Marvin Dana
  • Stretch yourself full-length in this arm-chair, and pretend to be dead.
  • Extract from : « The Imaginary Invalid » by Molire
  • Why, now, will you have the assurance to pretend to forget who I am?
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • He resolved to pretend to be dumb, and he charged Terence not to betray him.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • It was vain to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed.
  • Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad
  • Why did you pretend to be my counsellor and friend, when you were my rival?
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • I pretend not to say it is so; but it must be allowed it looks very much like it.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper

Synonyms for pretend

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019