pretend
verb /prɪˈtend/
/prɪˈtend/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they pretend | /prɪˈtend/ /prɪˈtend/ |
| he / she / it pretends | /prɪˈtendz/ /prɪˈtendz/ |
| past simple pretended | /prɪˈtendɪd/ /prɪˈtendɪd/ |
| past participle pretended | /prɪˈtendɪd/ /prɪˈtendɪd/ |
| -ing form pretending | /prɪˈtendɪŋ/ /prɪˈtendɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to behave in a particular way, in order to make other people believe something that is not true
- I'm tired of having to pretend all the time.
- Of course I was wrong; it would be hypocritical to pretend otherwise.
- pretend to somebody that… He pretended to his family that everything was fine.
- pretend (that)… We pretended (that) nothing had happened.
- She pretended (that) she was his niece.
- pretend to do something I pretended to be asleep.
- He pretended not to notice.
- She didn't love him, though she pretended to.
- She pretended an interest she did not feel.
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesb1- Maria knew he was only pretending.
- I can't go on pretending any longer.
- Couldn't you at least pretend to enjoy it?
- It would be foolish to pretend that there are no risks involved.
- It's useless to pretend that we might still win.
- He pretended to his boss that he'd written the article.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- otherwise
- at least
- just
- …
- can no longer
- try to
- be dishonest to
- …
- to
- go on pretending
- just pretending
- only pretending
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] (especially of children) to imagine that something is true as part of a game
- They didn't have any real money so they had to pretend.
- pretend (that)… Let’s pretend (that) we’re astronauts.
- [intransitive, transitive] (usually used in negative sentences and questions) to claim to be, do or have something, especially when this is not true
- pretend to something I can't pretend to any great musical talent.
- pretend (that)… I don’t pretend (that) I know much about the subject, but…
- pretend to be/do/have something The book doesn't pretend to be a great work of literature.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by infinitivesVerbs usually followed by infinitives- afford
- agree
- appear
- arrange
- attempt
- beg
- choose
- consent
- decide
- expect
- fail
- happen
- hesitate
- hope
- intend
- learn
- manage
- mean
- neglect
- offer
- prepare
- pretend
- promise
- refuse
- swear
- try
- want
- wish
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin praetendere ‘stretch forth, claim’, from prae ‘before’ + tendere ‘stretch’. The adjective dates from the early 20th cent.