Definition of "pretend" []

• To give a false appearance of; feign: "You had to pretend conformity while privately pursuing high and dangerous nonconformism” ( Anthony Burgess). (verb-transitive)
• To claim or allege insincerely or falsely; profess: doesn't pretend to be an expert. (verb-transitive)
• To represent fictitiously in play; make believe: pretended they were on a cruise. (verb-transitive)
• To take upon oneself; venture: I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong. (verb-transitive)
• To feign an action or character, as in play. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "They are about "Theocracy" or getting whatever fossil they have designated the power to dictate to everybody whatever spew he wishes to pretend is the word of "god"."
• "What you idiots pretend is that this was some sort of isolated incident that was not supported by the governments."
• "So, typically, I tried to find something that I can at least pretend is a bit healthier, like grilled chicken wraps."