Word

pretend, v.
(pretended, pretending, pretends)
freq. cnt. 22

make believe with the intent to deceive
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 18 freq. cnt.: 12 freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 1 freq. cnt.: 1

affect dissemble feign pretend sham

sample sentences

"He feigned that he was ill"
"He shammed a headache"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

pretending pretense pretense pretender

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

dissembling dissembler

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

sham shammer shammer

semantic pointers

hypernym

misrepresent, belie

verb group

make, pretend, make believe

hyponym

play possum take a dive bullshit, talk through one's hat, bull, fake mouth

behave unnaturally or affectedly
<verb.creation> freq. cnt.: 10 freq. cnt.: 10

act dissemble pretend

sample sentences

"She's just acting"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

semantic pointers

verb group

act, behave, do

hyponym

simulate, assume, sham, feign

state insincerely
<verb.communication>

pretend profess

sample sentences

"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"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

semantic pointers

hypernym

represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
<verb.communication>

make make believe pretend

sample sentences

"She makes like an actress"

verb frames

Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

semantic pointers

verb group

pretend, affect, feign, dissemble, sham

hypernym

play, act, represent

hyponym

go through the motions

put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 15 freq. cnt.: 10 freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 1

guess hazard pretend venture

sample sentences

"I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"
"I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

guessing guess guess guesser

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

semantic pointers

hypernym

hyponym

predict, promise, anticipate, foretell, prognosticate, call, forebode suspect, surmise

put forward a claim and assert right or possession of
<verb.possession>

pretend

sample sentences

"pretend the title of King"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

pretense pretension Pretender

semantic pointers

hypernym

claim, lay claim, arrogate