pretend to (something)

idiom

formal

: to claim that one has (something, such as a quality or ability)

She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don't believe her.

—usually used in negative statements

I don't pretend to any expertise in these matters.

Examples of pretend to (something) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Eventually, all three girls sit down on the front of the Jeep and pretend to search for dinosaurs. —

Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 For instance, a fraudster may call your company to pretend to be a senior executive, urgently requesting a wire transfer to close a deal. —

Frank Sorrentino, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Give them the eggs only if Andy agrees to walk around like a chicken for five minutes and pretend to lay an egg on Sue Smey. —

Dalton Ross, EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024 The long-term teacher can’t pretend to care about his whiny students anymore and uses a seemingly routine parent’s complaint as an excuse to get canned. —

Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pretend to (something)

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“Pretend to (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretend%20to%20%28something%29. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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