pretend to

verb
UK: /prɪˈtend tuː/
US: /prɪˈtend tuː/

  1. To behave as if something is true when it is not.

    1. I like to pretend to be a doctor when I play. [ ] [ ]
    2. The children often pretend to be animals in the garden, it's really fun. [ ] [ ]

  2. To give the appearance of feeling, possessing, or being something.

    1. She didn't really like the gift, but she had to pretend to be happy. [ ] [ ]
    2. He had to pretend to be confident during the presentation, even though he was nervous. [ ] [ ]

  3. To claim to have qualities, abilities, or intentions that one does not actually possess.

    1. They pretend to understand the plan, but they are confused. [ ] [ ]
    2. Some people pretend to have more money than they actually do to impress others, and it's really ridiculous. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

feign sham affect impersonate simulate

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pretend to" in English means: To behave as if something is true when it is not., To give the appearance of feeling, possessing, or being something., To claim to have qualities, abilities, or intentions that one does not actually possess..

The phonetic transcription of "pretend to" is /prɪˈtend tuː/ in British English and /prɪˈtend tuː/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pretend to": feign, sham, affect, impersonate, simulate.

Example usage of "pretend to": "I like to pretend to be a doctor when I play.". More examples on the page.