pretend

CEFRA2

/pɹəˈtɛnd/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

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

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.

Examples

  • Even if you know the truth, you had better pretend otherwise at present.

  • I'm tired of having to pretend all the time.

At a glance

Sits at A2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /pɹiˈtɛnd/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To engage in make-believe.

  2. To feign, affect (a state, quality, etc.).

  3. To lay claim (to an ability, status, advantage, etc.).

More examples

In context

  • Let's pretend we are aliens.

  • If you don't like it, say so. You don't have to pretend.

  • You don't have to pretend that the soup tastes fine.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Because he did not want to take the test, the student tried to blank a stomachache.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Anglo-Norman pretendre, Middle French pretendre (French prétendre (“to claim, demand”)), from Latin praetendere (“to put forward, hold out, pretend”), from prae- (“pre-”) + tendō (“stretch”); see tend.