List of 426 Sets of Synonyms - How they Differ - Total of 2307 Words - 297

SYNONYMS: pretend, assume, affect, simulate, feign, fake, counterfeit.
These verbs all mean to take on a false or misleading appearance.

Pretend often suggests a vain or transparent attempt to fool or deceive: My wife pretended to be asleep.
Assume may---but does not necessarily---connote dishonesty, insincerity, or trickery: . I assumed an air of confidence that I was far from feeling.
Affect suggests an effort to give the appearance of something either out of personal preference or to make an impression: He affects the disdainful petulance of a rock star.
Simulate emphasizes the assumption of an appearance or a form that closely resembles reality: He simulated great happiness.
The remaining terms feign, fake, and counterfeit all imply at least a measure of deliberate sham.
Feign suggests false representation or fictitious fabrication: The child feigned a look of innocence when his mother asked who had eaten the cake.
Fake implies fraudulent simulation: He faked an interest in my work.
Counterfeit denotes a close imitation that can often pass for an original: The money turned out to be counterfeit.