feign Meaning & Definition
What Does Feign Mean?
As a verb, feign means To make a false show or pretence of; to counterfeit or simulate. It is also used to mean To imagine; to invent; to pretend to do something.
Feign in Brief
| Part of speech | verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //feɪn// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | affect, sham and assume |
| Verb forms | feigns, feigning, feigned |
Feign Definition (Verb)
- To make a false show or pretence of; to counterfeit or simulate.
The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
- To imagine; to invent; to pretend to do something.
He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.
- To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent; to feint.
Verb
- To imagine; to invent; to pretend.
He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.
- To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent.
- To hide or conceal.
Jessica feigned the fact that she had not done her homework.
Synonyms of Feign
Feign synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Feign
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Feign in a Sentence
The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
They feigned her signature on the cheque.
feign ignorance, feign illness, feign indifference, feign injury, feign innocence, feign interest
He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.
Jessica feigned the fact that she had not done her homework.
Word Forms & Grammar
feign (third-person singular simple present feigns, present participle feigning, simple past and past participle feigned)
Words That Rhyme With Feign
Origin of Feign
From Middle English feynen, feinen,[1] borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint, figment and fiction.
How Do You Say Feign?
The standard pronunciation of feign is //feɪn//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Feign
What part of speech is feign?
Feign is a verb.
What is another word for feign?
You can replace feign with words such as affect, sham and assume. See the full list of feign synonyms and antonyms.
What is the past tense of feign?
The past tense of feign is feigned. The present participle is feigning.