as in hypocritical
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in posing
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
I pretended that I didn't care that my ex had a new man in her life
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in simulating
to present a false appearance of
as if I would ever pretend illness just to take off a day from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretending
Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
During that time, McComb started pretending to eat his food and then giving him small bites from a spoon to make sure the dog ate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Company Values as Competitive Advantage Let’s stop pretending values are soft stuff.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
The trial for a Colorado man accused of killing his wife after allegedly sending her disturbing messages — while pretending to be her ex-boyfriend — has begun.
—Nicole Acosta, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
At the start of episode 8, Cara, a reserved 29-year-old In-N-Out worker, had the cash in her box, while her bestie Samantha, a 41-year-old cop pretending to be a stay-at-home mom, had a clue that the secret millionaire was someone with two sisters.
—Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
After her teammates mobbed her in celebration, Rodman stepped away and grabbed her lower back, pretending to seize up with pain — only to stand up tall and laugh while flipping her pink hair over both shoulders.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Gen Z is done pretending that outdated workplace norms, designed by and for men, still make sense.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
This prompt gives you enough talking points to contribute thoughtfully without pretending to be an expert.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
During that time, McComb started pretending to eat his food and then giving him small bites from a spoon to make sure the dog ate.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Company Values as Competitive Advantage Let’s stop pretending values are soft stuff.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
The trial for a Colorado man accused of killing his wife after allegedly sending her disturbing messages — while pretending to be her ex-boyfriend — has begun.
—Nicole Acosta, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
At the start of episode 8, Cara, a reserved 29-year-old In-N-Out worker, had the cash in her box, while her bestie Samantha, a 41-year-old cop pretending to be a stay-at-home mom, had a clue that the secret millionaire was someone with two sisters.
—Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
After her teammates mobbed her in celebration, Rodman stepped away and grabbed her lower back, pretending to seize up with pain — only to stand up tall and laugh while flipping her pink hair over both shoulders.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Gen Z is done pretending that outdated workplace norms, designed by and for men, still make sense.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretending
Adjective
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What to Know Condemning Western criticism of Iran's military development as hypocritical, Khamenei stressed the importance of both physical and psychological warfare, according to state media.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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Republicans, meanwhile, have suggested Democrats are being hypocritical about Musk’s involvement, noting that liberals like Pritzker and Soros are also wading into the race.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
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While posing for photos at the event, Princess Charlene was joined by filmmaker Blanca Li, and her sister-in-law Princess Caroline of Hanover, among others.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2025
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Artists, designers, stylists, actors and musicians came out from all corners of the industry, posing on the red carpet and dancing to the sounds of Star Amerasu, the evening’s DJ.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nvidia’s Omniverse allows users to put together world scenes digitally, simulating a physical environment.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2025
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In addition to large-scale data theft, economic disruption, and intelligence breaches, quantum computers could be used for malicious purposes such as simulating and synthesizing chemical weapons or optimizing the flight trajectories of a swarm of drones.—
Charina Chou,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The characters are petty, duplicitous, conniving — and also, somehow, strangely sympathetic.—
Calum Marsh,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Othello star Jake Gyllenhaal’s backstage home-away-from-home in Broadway’s Barrymore theater is an extension of the Shakespearean world he’s been steeped in while developing his version of Iago, the duplicitous ensign to the titular Venetian army general played by Denzel Washington.—
Charlotte Collins,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Deion Sanders began his NFL career with the Falcons in 1989, also playing baseball for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves well into the 1990s.—
Dan Pompei,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
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Further factions emerge from there, as people start playing the game within the Squid Game, forming pockets of friendships and alliances, real and fake.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Instead of assuming what people want or need, AI and machine learning analyze actual data and recommend alternatives based on individual situations.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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The new policy also takes quite a leap by assuming that most of the nation’s elderly population have ever even heard of Twitter, including the New Jersey caller’s 96-year-old mother.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Baldwins shame him, but their righteous indignation feels insincere considering Baldwin wasn’t using her name in that footage with detectives.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
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Even insincere inquiries are generally appreciated.—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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When the acting dream started Growing up in Sacramento, Smalls was a three-sport athlete in high school attending West Campus, Rosemont and Foothill in North Highlands.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Mar. 2025
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Right before graduation, Smalls found a two-year program in the William Esper Studio in New York City which teaches acting techniques such as the Meisner Technique.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pretending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretending. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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