1
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
the feigned applause that polite people give after a bad concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
the feigned looks of innocence I got when I asked who had broken the lamp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pretended
to present a false appearance of
I would never feign illness just to get out of a test
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of feigned
Melissa Skorka, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2022
Hall is tasked with delivering gouts of exposition and staring in feigned wonderment at screensaver-resembling new regions of the center of the Earth.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2024
With feigned incredulity, Darrow asked whether Bryan hadn’t ever tried to learn about older and other civilizations.
—Lisa Grunwald, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Holidays are performative - Mikey Day appears to demonstrate his feigned love for his son’s gift.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for feigned 
Adjective
Such attacks belie the Taliban’s feigned moderation and point to the danger of sending select types of foreign assistance to Afghanistan that could end up in the control of the network.
—Melissa Skorka, Foreign Affairs, 24 Jan. 2022
Hall is tasked with delivering gouts of exposition and staring in feigned wonderment at screensaver-resembling new regions of the center of the Earth.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2024
With feigned incredulity, Darrow asked whether Bryan hadn’t ever tried to learn about older and other civilizations.
—Lisa Grunwald, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Holidays are performative - Mikey Day appears to demonstrate his feigned love for his son’s gift.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for feigned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feigned
Adjective
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One person that many pay attention to is Mel Kiper, who has been a mock draft extraordinaire for decades.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
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The following scenes are set in that show and tell the ogre's story through life-size wooden puppets complete with mock strings attached to their arms.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But there’s a rule in Wales where you’re not allowed to even have fake cigarettes on a film set.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
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The fake list contains a few different hyper-obscure characters that seem potentially unlikely to arrive.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Seemingly as a gag to portray a darker Buddy, Ferrell held what appeared to be an unlit cigarette in his mouth and pretended to smoke it.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA TODAY,
31 Dec. 2024
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Oh Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su), a dying old man who pretended to be Gi-hun’s ally in the game.—
Josh Wigler,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Proponents of this theory point to Kennedy's strained relationship with the CIA after the Bay of Pigs blunder, as well as differences over how the U.S. should have approached Vietnam.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
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On top of all of this, Sirianni reportedly had a strained relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts, something the two tried to hash out during the team’s bye week this season.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC News,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Russian striker produced a stunning knockout in his last outing, finishing Armen Petrosyan with a double spinning-backfist to claim a highlight-reel KO.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
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After double cleansing, the SokoGlam founder uses the Real Barrier Intense Moisture Toner, which has seven different types of hyaluronic acid wrapped up in one milky formula.—
Annie Blay,
Allure,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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On the other end, Gibbs began to slither his way into open space, and the Lions assumed full control.—
Alec Lewis,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
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As an incentive for the teams to stick around, the city assumed ownership of the land but agreed to give it back to the teams at the expiration of a ground lease in 2023, according to documents reviewed by The Post.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In early January, Abreu pleaded guilty in Fort Lauderdale federal court to making false statements on three applications to obtain a U.S. passport for himself and his two daughters on Oct. 2, 2021, according to his plea to an indictment.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2025
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But Patel didn’t contradict Trump on his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For lip color, reach for the Merit Beauty Signature lipsticks.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
22 Jan. 2025
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While lip reading is commonly used as a way for those with hearing disabilities to understand speech and conversations, it’s also called upon for legal matters and police investigations.—
Emily Holgate,
refinery29.com,
19 Jan. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near feigned
Cite this Entry
“Feigned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feigned. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
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