pretend
v.v. to act as if something is true when you know it is not. You might do this when playing a game or trying to hide your real feelings.
v. to behave as if something is true when it is not, either for play or to deceive. Often followed by a 'that' clause or an infinitive phrase.
The children like to pretend they are brave explorers.
She tried to pretend that she hadn't seen him in the crowd to avoid an awkward conversation.
While many actors pretend to inhabit their characters' lives entirely, the most seasoned professionals maintain a clear boundary between their stage persona and their private reality.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-der. Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae- Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *tend-der. Proto-Italic *tendō Latin tendō Latin praetendōbor. Anglo-Norman pretendreder. English pretend 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.
Commonly followed by 'to' and an infinitive, or a 'that' clause. Transitive when taking a clausal object.
He pretends being happy.He pretends to be happy.Pretend is followed by the to-infinitive, not the -ing form.