Pronunciation: /feɪn/
noun an insincere display of emotion
A1 She tried to feign interest in the conversation.
A2 He was not a good actor and his feign of surprise was easily noticed.
B1 The politician's feign of concern for the environment did not fool anyone.
B2 Her feign of ignorance about the situation was convincing to most people.
C1 The spy's feign of loyalty to the enemy was crucial for his mission.
C2 The actress's feign of emotion on stage moved the audience to tears.
verb to pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury)
A1 She feigned sickness to get out of going to school.
A2 He feigned interest in her stories, but he was actually bored.
B1 The actor had to feign happiness even though he was feeling sad.
B2 She feigned surprise when she saw the surprise party, even though she knew about it.
C1 The politician was skilled at feigning empathy with the public, even though he had no real concern for their issues.
C2 The spy was able to feign his true identity for years, fooling even those closest to him.
formal She attempted to feign interest in the discussion, but her lack of engagement was evident.
informal He tried to feign sickness to get out of going to school, but his mom didn't buy it.
slang I could tell she was feigning excitement about the party, she's not really into that scene.
figurative The actor had to feign happiness on stage, even though he was going through a tough time in his personal life.
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