# pretend

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɹəˈtɛnd/ · frequency rank #4,108

## Definitions
1. To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
2. To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
3. To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
4. To lay claim (to an ability, status, advantage, etc.).
5. To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.
6. To intend; to design, to plot; to attempt.
7. To hold before one; to extend.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *per-
Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-der.
Proto-Italic *prai
Proto-Italic *prai-
Latin prae-
Proto-Indo-European *ten-
Proto-Indo-European *tend-der.
Proto-Italic *tendō
Latin tendō
Latin praetendōbor.
Anglo-Norman pretendreder.
English pretend
From Anglo-Norman pretendre, Middle French pretendre (French prétendre (“to claim, demand”)), from Latin praetendere (“to put forward, hold out, pretend”), from prae- (“pre-”) + tendō (“stretch”); see tend.

## Easily confused with
- **preyed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-preyed)
- **prevent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-prevent)
- **pretext** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-pretext)
- **preterm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-preterm)
- **pretense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-pretense)
- **pretended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-pretended)
- **pretender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretend-vs-pretender)
- **present** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/present-vs-pretend)
- **pretence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretence-vs-pretend)

## Common misspellings (11)
`pertend`, `ppretend`, `preetnd`, `pretedn`, `pretendd`, `pretennd`, `pretned`, `prettend`, `prretend`, `prteend`, `rpetend`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pretend