Meaning & Definition of word "Pretended"

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.