Meaning & use
feign
To pretend to feel or experience something that is not genuinely true.
See it in a sentence
He feigned surprise when they announced the promotion, though he had known for weeks.
The cat feigned indifference to the toy before pouncing on it moments later.
A note on using this word
Feign is more formal than pretend and often implies deliberate deception about feelings, illness, or ignorance.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
reveal
Make it your own
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