Pretended Meaning in English
word · lemma: pretend
/pɹiˈtɛndɪd/
pri-TEN-did
/pɹɪtˈɛndɪd/
pri-TEN-did
Definition
Did something as if it were real or true when it was not; acted like something was happening or existed, but it was only make-believe.
Usage & Nuances
'Pretended' is the past tense of 'pretend.' It's often used for acting, stories, or when someone is not being truthful. Usually followed by 'to' plus a verb or a direct object (e.g., 'pretended to sleep', 'pretended illness'). Common with children and imaginative play.
Spanish: fingir - simularPortuguese (BR): fingir - simularPortuguese (PT): fingir - simularChinese (Simplified): 假装Chinese (Traditional): 假裝Hindi: बहाना करना - झूठमूठ दिखानाArabic: تظاهرBengali: ভান করা - অভিনয় করাRussian: притворялся - делал видJapanese: ふりをしたVietnamese: giả vờ - làm ra vẻKorean: ~인 척했다 - 가장했다Turkish: numara yaptı - rol yaptıUrdu: ظاہری بناوٹ کی - دکھاوا کیاIndonesian: berpura-pura
Example Sentences
She pretended to be asleep.
basic
He pretended he was a superhero.
basic
They pretended not to hear the noise.
basic
I pretended everything was fine, even though I was upset.
natural
She laughed and pretended she wasn't nervous before the speech.
natural
We pretended not to know about the surprise party.
natural