pretender
Uncrowned throne seeker
A pretender is someone who claims something falsely—typically a title, throne, or status they don't legitimately hold: the pretender to the Spanish crown.
More broadly, anyone who pretends or feigns: He's just a pretender who doesn't know what he's doing.
The word carries connotations of fraud or self-delusion, suggesting the gap between claimed and actual merit.
Faker claiming false expertise
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- imposterOne feigning identity
- fakerOne who pretends
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
sham · hoaxer · masquerader · mountebank · quack · deceiver · trickster · con artist
Illegal power seizer
- heirOne who receives legacy
- successionFollowing in order
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
legitimacy · birthright · sovereign · regent · coronation · prince · princess · countess
One seeking advancement
- claimantOne asserting entitlement
- candidatePerson seeking selection
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
- rivalOne who competes against
competitor · hopeful · ambitious · striver · up-and-comer · prospect · successor · nominee
Aspiring imitator of others
- dilettanteSuperficial pursuer of arts
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
- façadeFalse outward appearance
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
posturing · artifice · superficial · insincere · theatrical · show-off · bluffer · name-dropper
charlatan
Faker claiming false expertise
phony · sham · hoaxer · masquerader · mountebank · quack · deceiver · trickster · con artist · swindler
usurper
Illegal power seizer
- heirOne who receives legacy
- successionFollowing in order
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
dynasty · legitimacy · birthright · sovereign · regent · coronation · prince · princess · countess · duchess
aspirant
One seeking advancement
- claimantOne asserting entitlement
- candidatePerson seeking selection
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
rival · competitor · hopeful · ambitious · striver · up-and-comer · prospect · successor · nominee · bidder
wannabe
Aspiring imitator of others
- dilettanteSuperficial pursuer of arts
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
- façadeFalse outward appearance
affectation · posturing · artifice · superficial · insincere · theatrical · show-off · bluffer · name-dropper · social climber
- pretendersclaimant, usurper, disputed heir, false king, Bonnie Prince Charlie
- empireempire, emperor, empress, imperial, imperial regalia
- monarchyking, queen, prince, princess, crown
- competitorscompetitor, contestant, competitors, rivals, opponents
- deceiversliar, liars, deceiver, fraud, fake
- fakesfake, fakes, counterfeit, counterfeits, imitation
pretendergenuine article
Authentic original item
real deal · true self · authentic self · the real thing · honest broker
- let's pretend
- pretend not to see
- pretend playImaginative childhood roleplay
- The PretenderFalse claimant to throne
pretend, pretended, pretending, pretends, pretenders, unpretending