· the act of giving a false appearance; "his conformity was only pretending"

Synonym(s): pretense, pretence, simulation, feigning

Hypernym(s): deception, deceit, dissembling, dissimulation

· make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache"

Synonym(s): feign, sham, affect, dissemble

Hypernym(s): misrepresent, belie

· behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting"

Synonym(s): dissemble, act

· put forward a claim and assert right or possession of; "pretend the title of King"

Hypernym(s): claim, lay_claim, arrogate

· put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation; "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong"

Synonym(s): guess, venture, hazard

Hypernym(s): speculate

· represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress"

Synonym(s): make, make_believe

Hypernym(s): act, play, represent

· state insincerely; "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine"

Synonym(s): profess

Hypernym(s): claim