Meaning & Definition of Pretend in English

1. The enactment of a pretense

• "It was just pretend"

1. Make believe with the intent to deceive

• "He feigned that he was ill"

• "He shammed a headache"

2. Behave unnaturally or affectedly

• "She's just acting"

3. Put forward a claim and assert right or possession of

• "Pretend the title of king"

4. 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. Represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like

• "She makes like an actress"

6. 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. Imagined as in a play

• "The make-believe world of theater"

• "Play money"

• "Dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish"