- present participle of pretend.
pretending
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To put it another way, Flowers can't imagine pretending to be the 20-year-old who wrote Mr Brightside in his friend's bedroom for the rest of his life.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
My arms are extended at my sides and I’m leaning forward slightly — not unlike a 3-year-old pretending to be an airplane readying for takeoff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday confirmed he had exchanged messages with someone pretending to be US President Donald Trump's chief of staff.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Nobody in Austin is pretending this is easy or cheap.
From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026
His siblings circled close to comfort him, and Penelope sighed, for although Miss Mortimer was quite right in what she had said, so too was Beowulf, and there was no use pretending otherwise.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
