Pretend

To pretend means to act as if something is true, even when it is not. People often pretend for fun or creativity, like children pretending to be superheroes. They may also pretend to be happy or calm to protect their own feelings or to avoid hurting others’ feelings, like smiling to hide sadness (emotional protection) or pretending to like the gift so the giver would not feel sad. However, pretending can also be used in a negative way, when someone wants to trick or deceive others, like pretending to be someone else to cheat or pretending to be sick to avoid work. Pretending is about acting in a way that is not real, and it can be fun, helpful, or dishonest, depending on the situation.