pretend

make believe with the intent to deceive

• “He feigned that he was ill”
• “He shammed a headache”

behave unnaturally or affectedly

• “She”

put forward a claim and assert right or possession of

• “pretend the title of King”

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”

represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like

• “She makes like an actress”

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”

the enactment of a pretense

• “it was just pretend”

imagined as in a play

• “the make-believe world of theater”
• “play money”
• “dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish”