Word
pretending
Phoneticspre·tend·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/pɹiˈtɛndɪŋ/
UK/pɹɪtˈɛndɪŋ/
Definitions
01acting as if
B1 · Intermediate
v. acting like something is true when you know it is not.
v. the present participle of 'pretend', describing the action of feigning a state, quality, or identity.
“He was just pretending to be asleep so he didn't have to talk.”
“By pretending that the budget cuts were merely temporary, the administration managed to avoid a full-scale strike during the election cycle.”
Usage
often followed by 'to be' or a 'that' clause.
Synonyms
02make-believe
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of imagining or playing a part.
n. the act of engaging in make-believe or imaginative play. Often uncountable in this sense.
Español:artistaje
“The children spent the whole afternoon lost in a world of pretending.”
“The psychologist noted that the child's elaborate pretending served as a sophisticated coping mechanism for dealing with social anxiety.”
Usage
frequently used as the subject or object of a sentence to describe a state of mind.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/pretending
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0