What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
posing
Example
She was posing for a portrait in the park. [posing: verb]
Example
He was posing as a wealthy businessman to impress his date. [posing: present participle]
pretending
Example
The children were pretending to be pirates on the playground. [pretending: present participle]
Example
She was pretending to be sick to avoid going to work. [pretending: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pretending is more commonly used than posing in everyday language. Pretending is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while posing is less common and often associated with specific contexts, such as modeling or photography.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between posing and pretending?
While posing can be associated with a formal or professional tone, pretending is typically associated with a casual or informal tone.
