pretending
- 01 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.
Simple“He was just pretending to be asleep so he didn't have to talk.”
In context“By pretending that the budget cuts were merely temporary, the administration managed to avoid a full-scale strike during the election cycle.”
Usageoften followed by 'to be' or a 'that' clause.
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
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.
Simple“The children spent the whole afternoon lost in a world of pretending.”
In context“The psychologist noted that the child's elaborate pretending served as a sophisticated coping mechanism for dealing with social anxiety.”
Usagefrequently used as the subject or object of a sentence to describe a state of mind.
Synonyms