Pretend

Pretend is a verb meaning to act as if something is true when it is not, or to feign a feeling, state, or condition. It can describe imagined or fictional behavior, and it is commonly used with constructions such as pretend to be, or pretend that someone is something. The noun form pretence (British) or pretense (American) refers to the act or instance of pretending.

Etymology and sense evolution: The word comes from Old French pretendre, from Latin prae-tendere “to stretch forth, extend; to claim.” Early senses in English included “to claim” or “to allege,” with the modern sense of “to make believe” developing in Early Modern English and becoming common in everyday usage.

Usage and nuance: Pretending can occur in both everyday life and formal contexts. In children, pretend play is a central part of development, supporting language growth, social understanding, creativity, and perspective-taking. In adults, pretending appears in theater, role-playing games, or social interactions where participants share a fictional frame. A key distinction is that pretend play relies on mutual understanding of fiction, whereas deception involves an intention to mislead others without their awareness of the fiction. Nonetheless, context can blur this boundary when the pretend aspect is not openly acknowledged.

Related terms and variants: Related nouns include pretense/pretence; related verbs include feign, simulate, and sham. Common phrases include pretend to do something and pretend that something is the case. The concept encompasses both harmless imagination and deliberate misrepresentation, depending on intent and context.