pretend
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.
See Examples For:
This is not a 30-minute dinner, and there is no reason to pretend otherwise.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
On top of the already planned changes, Burnham is also vowing to end shops' use of "pretend prices".
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
All of these companies have warned consumers that bad actors will continue to pretend to be something they’re not.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
“A city can be booming and unaffordable at the same time. It can have ever-expanding skylines while its people live ever-shrinking lives. We are not going to pretend that that’s good enough.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Would that be weird on a pretend date?
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
"He is not happy, he pretends he is happy," said Tamim.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Under the blazing Vegas sun, giant billboards advertise "Live Enhanced" as the baritone voice of a sports announcer pretends to introduce British swimmer Ben Proud and other athletes.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Following Mozart’s successful debut at court, Salieri cozies up to him and pretends to aid his cause.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
The bot’s final product is exactly that: an essay that pretends to divulge, to confess, to promise, and to portray.
From Slate ● Mar. 20, 2026
I feel like she might have been waiting for me, which is ridiculous, because when we fight she always pretends I don't exist at least until the afternoon.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Writes Ms. Aviv: “He pretended to speak casually, Andrea said, but she noticed a defiant thrill on his face.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Rand pretended to be me and I pretended to be Rand,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
He opened the door to the briefing room a crack, drew a laugh as he pretended to sneak in, made a short announcement and took questions.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
It’s been widely reported that in the ’80s and ’90s, Trump sometimes pretended to be his own publicist, John Barron, when talking to reporters.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
I even said good-bye to the almond tree where I pretended my parents were buried.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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
Lord Cameron also exchanged some text messages with the impersonator pretending to be Poroshenko, who was president of Ukraine between 2014 and 2019.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
I studied the pastries while pretending not to listen: tea-infused buns knotted with candied citrus, laminated pastry layered with spiced cream cheese, craggy oat muffins dotted with boysenberry preserves.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Dad’s not the dad he’s been pretending to be.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Vocabulary lists containing pretend
"Eleven"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Eleven," Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, Chapters 1–3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
