Meaning & Definition of word "Pretended"

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    Pretended

    /prɪˈtɛndɪd/

    verb:

    • 1. To make believe; to act as if something is true when it is not.
      • Example: She pretended to be happy, even though she was feeling sad inside.
    • 2. To claim or assert something that is not true.
      • Example: He pretended to know the answer to the question, but he was just guessing.
    • 3. To feign or simulate for the purpose of deception.
      • Example: The dog pretended to be injured to lure its owner into the trap.

    adjective:

    • 1. Fictitious, not real; intended to deceive.
      • Example: The pretended threat was just a prank by the teenagers.

    Etymology

    From Latin 'praetendere', meaning 'to stretch out before, to claim'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    pretend play:

    a form of play where children use their imagination to create scenarios.

    pretend friend:

    a term for someone who acts as if they are a friend but is insincere.

    make pretend:

    to engage in imaginative play, pretending something is true or exists.

    Related Words

    pretender:

    a person who pretends.

    pretense:

    a false display of feelings or intentions.

    pretext:

    a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.

    Slang Meanings of pretended

    Meaning: faking it

    Example Sentence: He’s just faking it until he makes it.

    Meaning: putting on a show

    Example Sentence: She was just putting on a show for the audience.