# pretended

/pɹiˈtɛndɪd/ (US) · /pɹɪtˈɛndɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pretended
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. not real

adjective · CEFR B2

not real or genuine; something that is made up for a game or to trick someone.

For teachers: describing something that is feigned, counterfeit, or imaginary rather than actual.

- The children had a tea party with pretended food and empty cups.
- The investigator quickly saw through his pretended indifference, noting the slight tremor in his hands as the questions became more specific.

Usage: usually placed before the noun it describes.

## Examples

- She pretended to be asleep when I walked in.
- The children pretended they were explorers searching for hidden treasure in the backyard.
- He pretended that the criticism did not bother him, though his colleagues noticed he became increasingly withdrawn during the subsequent project meetings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.