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feigning

feigning

1 7.4
Pretending to have an illness or feeling to trick others
  • noun
  • /ˈfeɪnɪŋ/
translation icon : fingimiento
  • Plutarch calls Caesar's grief genuine, while Cassius Dio describes Caesar quote feigning to mourn.

Well, well, saying that, I actually think that the interesting part here is feigning ignorance and fraud.

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Examples

  • She tried to call from memory the Prayer of Failure, no, of Feigning; she was so confused!

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Well, well, saying that, I actually think that the interesting part here is feigning ignorance and fraud.

  • The poet is a feigner who's so good at his act he even feigns the pain of pain he feels, in fact.

  • And you can't be, you can't be shamed into at least feigning a touch of patriotism.

  • Although she states that they will now embark on an authentic existence in honest relationships, their identities have been so distorted throughout the course of the text that it is unclear where the feigning stops.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Iser asserts that the act of feigning has since time immemorial been considered the fundamental characteristic of literature (Akte 129).

    Academic text (2004)
  • His feigning of illness allowed him to avoid attending the meeting.

  • The magician's feigning of a card trick impressed the entire audience.

  • She was criticized for her feigning of emotions during the negotiation.

Synonyms

charade
vsfeigning
76 7.4

A false show that hides what is really happening

is used for general pretending acts not only obvious false shows
appearance
vsfeigning
72 5.1

A way of showing yourself that hides problems to make others think well of you

is the broader act of faking, not restricted to creating good impressions
pretense
vsfeigning
  • US
65 6.1

A false claim or action to hide the truth

is the general act of faking to deceive others rather than this specific claim
guise
vsfeigning
54 7.5

An appearance that hides the truth to trick people

describes the act of pretending rather than only an outward appearance
ruse
vsfeigning
53 7.7

A clever trick to deceive someone

is about pretending behavior rather than clever planned tricks
impersonation
vsfeigning
30 5.7

An act of copying another person's voice and actions to entertain or trick people

is used more widely for pretending, not only for imitating people
simulation
vsfeigning
25 5.8

A false show of feeling or action meant to trick people

covers any act of faking or making something seem real
subterfuge
vsfeigning
19 9.5

A trick or excuse to hide the real reason

is the general act of faking rather than strategic plans or excuses
deception
vsfeigning
6 4.3

A trick that makes something look like real magic

focuses on deliberate pretending rather than producing a wondrous impression
fakery
vsfeigning
6 6.8

A thing or action made to trick people into thinking it is real

focuses on the action of pretending rather than on faked results
put-on
vsfeigning
  • Informal
4 7.5

A false act or story that tries to trick people, often to make them laugh

aims mainly to deceive others rather than to amuse or joke
dissembling
vsfeigning
3 9.9

Hiding your true feelings or intentions by pretending

focuses on outward acting to deceive rather than concealing inner motives
spoofing
vsfeigning
  • Texting
2 7.9

Pretending to be someone else online to trick people

covers general faking, not only false identities or online deception
mimicry
vsfeigning
2 4.6

Copying someone's voice, face and actions to entertain or trick people

is broader than mere imitation, covering any deliberate falsehood
imposture
vsfeigning
  • Archaic
1 9.5

To pretend to be someone else to trick people

applies to general faking beyond merely assuming false identities
pretending
vsfeigning
1 4.1

A way of acting to make others believe something that is not true

focuses more on deliberate deception rather than general acting or play
playacting
vsfeigning
1 5.7

Pretending to be someone, for example in a play or to get attention

is about faking to deceive others rather than acting for performance
pretexting
vsfeigning
  • Specialized
1 9.6

Pretending to be someone else or making up a false reason to get private information

is broader, covering any pretending rather than only false reasons for access
personation
vsfeigning
9.1

To pretend to be another person by copying how they act, usually to trick or entertain

covers broader pretending acts beyond copying others' mannerisms

Antonyms

71 4.8

A quality that shows something is real and believable to people

How Deceptive

fraud
577 4.0
deception
163 3.9
feigning
1 7.4
pretense
  • US
65 6.1

Surface Forms

feigning singular
feignings plural

Morphology

feigning = feign (transparent) = feign + ing

The noun is formed from the verb 'feign' by adding the productive '-ing' nominalizer meaning 'the act of pretending', so the meaning is directly derivable.

Etymology

The word feigning comes from the Latin fingere, which means 'to shape' or 'to make'. You can see the same root in fiction and figure, so to feign is to 'shape' a false appearance — in other words, to pretend.