Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who makes false claims or representations: Someone who professes beliefs, opinions, or identities they do not genuinely hold, often to deceive others or conceal their true motives.
   • A claimant to a title or position without legitimate right: Specifically, a person who asserts a claim, often to a throne or high office, that is not justified by law or accepted authority.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • He was exposed as a pretender who had lied about his qualifications to get the job.
  • In history, several pretenders challenged the rightful king for control of the kingdom.
  • She saw through his friendly act and realized he was just a pretender.

Advanced Usage

• "To be a pretender to the throne": To claim the right to be king or queen, often in opposition to the current monarch.
  • The army rallied behind the pretender to the throne, leading to a civil war.

Variants and Related Words

• Pretend (verb): To behave as if something is true when it is not.
  • Children often pretend to be superheroes.
• Pretense (noun): The act of pretending; a false show or claim.
  • She made a pretense of being interested in the conversation.
• Pretentious (adjective): Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.
  • The pretentious artist claimed his simple doodles were profound statements.

Synonyms

• Impostor: A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive.
• Charlatan: A person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill.
• Claimant: A person making a claim, especially in a legal context (can be legitimate or not).
• Usurper: One who takes a position of power or importance illegally or by force.

Related Phrases

• "A pretender to the crown": A specific phrase denoting someone who claims royal sovereignty.
  • The nobles supported the pretender to the crown, hoping to gain influence.

Related Idioms

• "A wolf in sheep's clothing": This idiom describes a dangerous person who pretends to be harmless, similar to a deceptive pretender.
  • Be careful of him; he's a wolf in sheep's clothing, a pretender who wants to take your position.

Noun

1. 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
2. a person who makes deceitful pretenses
3. a claimant to the throne or to the office of ruler (usually without just title)