pretend to (something)
idiom
formal
: to claim that one has (something, such as a quality or ability)
She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don't believe her.
—usually used in negative statementsI don't pretend to any expertise in these matters.
Examples of pretend to (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The filmmaker, who uses they/them pronouns, cast trans actors to play cisgender straight men who pretend to be trans women, a decision that recalls the gender-bending twists of stories like Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Some managers pretend to be friends with their employees.
—Bruce Tulgan, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
As a child, Southlake Carroll basketball head coach David Markley would pretend to be an NBA player while shooting hoops in the driveway.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2025
Using the couple's wedding to distract from a political scandal, Barbara's parents decide to visit Val's dads, who must pretend to be straight, resulting in Albert masquerading as a middle-aged woman.
—Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
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Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Some managers pretend to be friends with their employees.
—Bruce Tulgan, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
As a child, Southlake Carroll basketball head coach David Markley would pretend to be an NBA player while shooting hoops in the driveway.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2025
Using the couple's wedding to distract from a political scandal, Barbara's parents decide to visit Val's dads, who must pretend to be straight, resulting in Albert masquerading as a middle-aged woman.
—Stacy Lambe, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pretend to (something)
Cite this Entry
“Pretend to (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretend%20to%20%28something%29. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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