We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.
Source: tatoeba (2318)
Pretend
/pɹəˈtɛnd/
Synonyms for "pretend" (201 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (41)
Verb(18 words)
feignmake believeshamactaffectaffect behavioraffect displayaffect understandingaffectedaffecting understandingallegeartificialassertassumedassumesattitudinizeattitudinizedbluffed
Noun(9 words)
Strong matches (60)
challengeclaimconjecturecounterfeitcover updaredare todisguisedissembledissimulatedo a bitdramatizeencroachendeavorfakefeignfoolfour flushfour-flushgame
Show 6 more words
Noun(15 words)
Verb(17 words)
Adjective(2 words)
deceptive discoursehypothetical
Related words (100)
invadelay claim tolay it on thicklet onlet on likelordmake a pretensemake a show ofmake as ifmake believemake boldmake freemake likemake outmake out likemockoveractplayplay a partplay a scene
Show 37 more words
play godplay possumplayactposepresumepresuppositionpretend topretendedpretextprofessprotest too muchpurportput onput on airsrepresentseek toseizeshamsimulatespuriousstrive tostudy tosupposesurmisetake overtake the libertythinktrespasstrytry andtry totug the heartstringsundertakeusurpventureventure towear
Noun(25 words)
jokemake-believemasquerademasqueradesmasqueradingmimemimingmost forcedmummermummerspantomimepantomimingphoneyingphonyingposeposesposingpretend confidenceprofessingrole play
Show 5 more words
Verb(17 words)
maintainmakemalingermasquermasqueradedplayactedplayactingplayactspose questionsprofesspurportingshammedsimulatesimulate living systemssimulatedtheatricalventure
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: feign, make believe, sham, act, act.
- Sentence evidence is available for pretend, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "pretend".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pretend"
Keep "pretend" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "pretend" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "pretend", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "pretend" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
33 entriesShowing 16 of 33 words.
More specific
16 entriesbaseless assertioncostumecounterfeitdissemblingfake confidencefake smilefalse claimfalse enthusiasmfeigned illnessillusoryimaginaryinsinceritypropspecious claimtoyunfounded assertion
Collocations
11 entriesmake believe moneypretend confidencepretend doctorpretend friendpretend ignorancepretend illnesspretend innocencepretend interestpretend moneypretend playpretend surprise
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
16 entriesTranslations
24 translations across 17 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- voorgee verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Arabic
1 entries- تَظَاهَرَ verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Bulgarian
2 entries- престру́вам се verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- симули́рам verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Catalan
1 entries- fer veure verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Dutch
1 entries- doen alsof verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Esperanto
1 entries- komedii verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Finnish
2 entries- olla tekevinään verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- teeskennellä verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
French
2 entries- faire semblant verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- feindre verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
German
1 entries- so tun, als ob verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Hindi
1 entries- ढोंग verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Icelandic
1 entries- þykjast verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Irish
1 entries- lig ar verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Italian
2 entries- fare finta verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- fingere verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Kabuverdianu
1 entries- finji verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Māori
2 entries- whakatakune verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- whakataruna verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Spanish
3 entries- aparentar verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- hacer como que verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
- hacer de verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Tagalog
1 entries- magkunwari verb (to make oneself appear (to do something))
Sample sentences
36 total sentences available.
Even if you know the truth, you had better pretend otherwise at present.
Source: tatoeba (31087)
Let's pretend we are aliens.
Source: tatoeba (32117)
One of them is an actor, who is going to pretend to murder someone.
Source: tatoeba (45101)
Showing 4 of 36 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pretend"?
Closest matches include feign, make believe, sham, act, act.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pretend"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.