What is the meaning of pretending?

noun

• The act of giving a false appearance.
  • usage: "his conformity was only pretending"
  • synonyms: pretense, pretence, simulation, feigning

verb

• Make believe with the intent to deceive.
  • usage: "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache"
  • synonyms: feign, sham, pretend, affect, dissemble
• Behave unnaturally or affectedly.
  • usage: "She's just acting"
  • synonyms: dissemble, pretend, act
• Put forward a claim and assert right or possession of.
  • usage: "pretend the title of King"
  • synonyms: pretend
• Put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation.
  • usage: "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong"
  • synonyms: guess, venture, pretend, hazard
• Represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like.
  • usage: "She makes like an actress"
  • synonyms: make, pretend, make believe
• State insincerely.
  • usage: "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine"
  • synonyms: profess, pretend