Synonyms for pretender
prɪˈtɛn dərpre·tender

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. pretendernoun

   Synonyms:
   phoney, dissembler, hypocrite

2. pretendernoun

   A person who professes beliefs and opinions that they do not hold.

   Synonyms:
   phoney, hypocrite, dissembler

3. pretendernoun

   A claimant to an abolished or already occupied throne.

   Synonyms:
   dissembler, hypocrite, phoney

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. pretender

   A hypocrite (Greek hypokrites, one who answers on the stage, an actor, especially a mimic actor) is one who acts a false part, or assumes a character other than the real. Deceiver is the most comprehensive term, including all the other words of the group. The deceiver seeks to give false impressions of any matter where he has an end to gain; the dissembler or hypocrite seeks to give false impressions in regard to himself. The dissembler is content if he can keep some base conduct or evil purpose from being discovered; the hypocrite seeks not merely to cover his vices, but to gain credit for virtue. The cheat and impostor endeavor to make something out of those they may deceive. The cheat is the inferior and more mercenary, as the thimble-rig gambler; the impostor may aspire to a fortune or a throne. Compare HYPOCRISY.

   The antonyms of hypocrite are to be found only in phrases embodying the adjectives candid, honest, ingenuous, sincere, true, etc.

   Synonyms:
   cheat, deceiver, dissembler, hypocrite, impostor

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Pretendernoun

   a claimant to the throne or to the office of ruler (usually without just title)

   Synonyms:
   dissimulator, dissembler, impostor, phoney, shammer, phony, fraud, imposter, pseudo, faker, role player, sham, hypocrite, fake, pseud

2. imposter, impostor, pretender, fake, faker, fraud, sham, shammer, pseudo, pseud, role playernoun

   a person who makes deceitful pretenses

   Synonyms:
   histrion, fraud, imposter, pseudo, fake, dissimulator, faker, player, fraudulence, juke, role player, hoax, dissembler, put-on, humbug, shammer, actor, pseud, hypocrite, phoney, sham, phony, postiche, impostor, dupery, malingerer, thespian, skulker

3. hypocrite, dissembler, dissimulator, phony, phoney, pretendernoun

   a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives

   Synonyms:
   dissimulator, dissembler, phoney, shammer, role player, imposter, hypocrite, pseudo, faker, pseud, impostor, sham, fraud, fake, phony

Matched Categories

1. • Claimant
   • Deceiver

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. wannabe

   'wannabe" was used as a deragotory slang term in u.s. youth culture during the 1970s and 80s to describe someone who pretends to be something he is not. also, poser.

   Submitted by margiezme on August 15, 2019  

2. wannabe

   'wannaba' was a deragotory slang term used in u.s. youth culture during the 1970s and 80s to describe someone who pretends to be something he is not. also, poser.

   Submitted by rinat on August 19, 2019  

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "pretender":

   comedian, impostor, imposter, suitor

How to pronounce pretender?

How to say pretender in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use pretender in a sentence?

1. Matthias John:

   As a person I like him, he's a little bit of a fanatic. But he's not in my opinion a cheater or pretender. It is his personality -- that he's pushing hard and he expected everybody's pushing the same way.

2. Chrissie Hynde:

   It's always sad when you start to hate what you love. ― Chrissie Hynde, Reckless: My Life as a Pretender

3. Mo Brooks:

   So that's going to be the contest. Do the people of the state of Alabama want a principled conservative and are they going to be able to figure out who that principled conservative is as opposed to who the pretender is?