feign

Our civilization shouldn’t feign excessive humility and modesty while America inspires creative drive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

Experts have previously warned the potential for AI chatbots to make things up, be overly-encouraging, and feign empathy can pose risks to young and vulnerable people.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025

At first, Lanthimos uses her character as a spoof of lady-bosses who feign enlightenment while reigning over the same bad workplace.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2025

It’s weird to be paranoid or to feign paranoia as part of an elaborate performance to manipulate rubes.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2025

Sometimes they would stop in the towns and villages upon the way, to wash, and eat—or, in the star's case, to feign eating—and to room, whenever they could afford it, at the town's inn.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Like everything else in the movie, it’s artifice that feigns at being fact.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025

When I confront the group of boys, one feigns innocence, claiming he’d been speaking to his friend.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2024

A burst of laughter and applause erupts from the crowd as he feigns confusion by turning and pointing to invisible supporters, as if he does not realize his back is to them.

From New York Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

Greg feigns shock at having to "push the button," but then shrugs out, since nothing much will change if he doesn't do that – or for him personally.

From Salon ● May 15, 2023

While Jasper, his spaniel ears a-droop, feigns indifference to the arrival of the cakes.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

The antics of the “bewitched” girls are so clearly feigned that the audience can recognize the corrupt motivations of the powerful people who are feeding the frenzy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

“Oliver’s feigned outrage at Dr. Morley was fabricated for ratings and profits at the expense of Dr. Morley’s reputation and personal well-being.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2025

When a press release informed me Howie had scheduled a brief homecoming, I feigned a news hook: If I could interview him by phone, I would write a feature about "Stuck Rubber Baby."

From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2025

Ms Heer said Harris "feigned ignorance" by sending two messages to the victim asking what had happened.

From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025

“Torito is a little better, but we can’t bring him home until tomorrow,” she said, teary-eyed and with a feigned smile.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez

In some cases, bureaucrats resorted to ostentatious gestures and outright fraud, feigning adherence to unrealistic targets and masking underperformance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Spaeny: It’s what every actor is thinking except they’re feigning ...

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026

However, the “Hannah Montana” star did not end her mockery there—going on to accuse Cooper of feigning innocence about the proximity of their properties.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 31, 2026

In November, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules".

From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2026

I say, this time not feigning confusion, but exuding it authentically.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali