feigned
Put on falsely
Feigned means pretended or simulated rather than genuine.
A feigned illness gets you out of work.
Feigned surprise masks what you already knew.
Feigned interest conceals boredom.
The word carries a note of deception—what's feigned is meant to fool someone.
Feigning belief or feeling
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
hollow · empty · affected · artificial · plastic · superficial · crocodile tears · lip service
Act as though
- fakeNot the real thing
- shamFraudulent imitation
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- simulateImitate through modeling
dissemble · affect · pose · masquerade · charade · bluff · imitate · play-act
Insincere show of sadness
- poker faceIntentionally expressionless look
- deadpanExpressionless, especially for humor
- woodenMade from timber
Cause false belief
- misleadCause false belief
- dupeDeceive or victim
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
trickery · subterfuge · guile · cunning · deceit · duplicity · misrepresentation · falsification
Temporarily holding position
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
- histrionicExaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- melodramaticExaggeratedly emotional in expression
hamming · overacting · stagey · performative · scripted · rehearsed · emoting · exaggerated
insincere
Feigning belief or feeling
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
two-faced · hollow · empty · affected · artificial · plastic · superficial · crocodile tears · lip service · false modesty
pretend
Act as though
- fakeNot the real thing
- shamFraudulent imitation
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
simulate · dissemble · affect · pose · masquerade · charade · bluff · imitate · play-act · fabricate
crocodile tears
Insincere show of sadness
- poker faceIntentionally expressionless look
- deadpanExpressionless, especially for humor
- woodenMade from timber
deceive
Cause false belief
fraud · trickery · subterfuge · guile · cunning · deceit · duplicity · misrepresentation · falsification · illusion
acting
Temporarily holding position
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
- histrionicExaggeratedly emotional in behavior
melodramatic · hamming · overacting · stagey · performative · scripted · rehearsed · emoting · exaggerated · showmanship
feignedspontaneous
Arising without external cause
instinctive · natural · impulsive · unrehearsed · unforced
- feigned humilityFake self-effacement
- feign ignoranceFake lack of knowledge
- feigned ignorancePretending not to know
- feigned surpriseFalse show of shock
- feigning injuryPretending to be hurt
- feigned interestSimulated engagement with something