Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pretend to have or be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury): To give a false appearance of something, often to deceive others or avoid a situation.
   • To invent or fabricate (a story or excuse): To create a false story or reason.

Usage

• Core Meaning: The verb "feign" is used to describe the deliberate act of pretending or faking. It implies an intent to deceive or mislead. It is a more formal synonym for "pretend" or "fake."
• Grammar: It is a transitive verb, so it is typically followed by a direct object (e.g., feign illness, feign interest). It can also be followed by a -clause (e.g., He feigned that he was lost).

Examples

• Verb:
  • The child feigned illness to avoid going to school.
  • She couldn't show her disappointment, so she feigned enthusiasm for the plan.
  • He feigned ignorance when asked about the missing report.
  • The animal feigns death when threatened by a predator.

Advanced Usage

• "Feign indifference": To pretend not to care about something.
  • Despite his strong feelings, he feigned indifference to her remarks.
• "Feign sleep": To pretend to be asleep.
  • I heard them come in, but I just feigned sleep.

Variants and Related Words

• Feigned (adj): Pretended; not genuine.
  • She answered with feigned politeness.
• Feigning (n): The action of pretending.
  • His apology was an obvious piece of feigning.

Synonyms

• Pretend: To behave as if something is true when it is not.
• Simulate: To imitate the appearance or character of something.
• Sham: To falsely present something (often used as a noun or adjective: a sham, a sham marriage).
• Fake: To make something seem real in order to deceive.

Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Feign" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is contained within the single verb.)

Related Idioms

• "Feign innocence": To pretend to know nothing about a situation, often one involving wrongdoing.
  • When confronted with the evidence, he continued to feign innocence.

Verb

1. make a pretence of
   • She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger
   • he feigned sleep
2. make believe with the intent to deceive
   • He feigned that he was ill
   • He shammed a headache