as in pretending
to present a false appearance of
I would never feign illness just to get out of a test
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of feigning
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Most artists spend enormous energy maintaining that closeness — or at least feigning it.
—
Jeff Benjamin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
All the while, the pair are doing their makeup on the plane ride over, feigning their different emergencies so as not to spoil the surprise.
—
Sara Belcher,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
When Zuccarello took a swipe with his stick and smacked McCarron in the leg, the big man responded with a Oscar-worthy acting job, feigning like he had been slashed on the wrist.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
20 Mar. 2026
Thanks for being there and at least feigning interest in my oddball life.
—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
Dillon Brooks antagonizing, Devin Booker feigning indifference.
—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Camille smirks into her wine, feigning terror but secretly gleeful at the display.
—
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Akhparian asked while patting himself down and feigning to be in search of a weapon.
—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
Patients are often described as drug seekers and accused of feigning their pain.
—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Most artists spend enormous energy maintaining that closeness — or at least feigning it.
—
Jeff Benjamin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
All the while, the pair are doing their makeup on the plane ride over, feigning their different emergencies so as not to spoil the surprise.
—
Sara Belcher,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
When Zuccarello took a swipe with his stick and smacked McCarron in the leg, the big man responded with a Oscar-worthy acting job, feigning like he had been slashed on the wrist.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
20 Mar. 2026
Thanks for being there and at least feigning interest in my oddball life.
—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
Dillon Brooks antagonizing, Devin Booker feigning indifference.
—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Camille smirks into her wine, feigning terror but secretly gleeful at the display.
—
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Akhparian asked while patting himself down and feigning to be in search of a weapon.
—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feigning
Noun
-
Rather, those with lower incomes and who earn lower returns are much likelier in Morningstar’s simulation to clean their accounts out, using the cash to buy a car, pay for an education or just make ends meet.
-
The simulation found that stress on two of the three fault segments had reached or exceeded the highest levels seen during the past 1,000 years.
Verb
-
The scammer then calls, pretending to be in a crisis and in need of immediate financial assistance.
-
For example, a group of minions might be pretending to fight a group of Vikings on a movie set, or enough alien spaceships to fill the entire screen appear and shoot their lasers at once.
Noun
-
On Wednesday, a Wayne County jury acquitted Hamtramck City Councilmember Mohammed Hassan of both felony counts of election law forgery and forging a signature on an absentee ballot application.
-
Federal law strictly prohibits the publication of nonconsensual intimate imagery, including digital forgeries, and most states have passed criminal laws.
Verb
-
This has become increasingly difficult, with professional players routinely simulating injuries and an offside rule that is interpreted to within fractions of an inch.
-
My research focused on simulating how special light waves interact in liquid crystals and using simple equations to approximate and understand those interactions.
Noun
-
And what happens to someone who’s been outed like that, as a fake?
-
The Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services has warned that people can easily obtain fakes; in 2010, Puerto Rico invalidated all its existing birth certificates, citing rampant fraud and identity theft.
Verb
-
The rule was created assuming that could mean harm or illness, and not in-party fighting.
-
For the past few years, conversations around AI adoption have centered around access to tools, assuming technology alone would drive transformation.
Noun
-
Luxus focuses on pristine-condition assets with clear provenance, reducing risks associated with counterfeits and quality degradation.
-
To me, the result didn’t taste like a cheap counterfeit but a breakthrough.
Noun
-
Trimpey also faces a felony charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
-
In the suit, Ibrahim alleges that he was lured to the gym under the pretense of a challenge and was ambushed by Watson, a co-owner of the gym and two other men.
Cite this Entry
“Feigning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feigning. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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