MEANING
A person claiming a throne or title whose claim is not generally accepted.
Use it for
exiled heirs; rival dynasties; claims that divide supportersKeep the question of rightful succession open rather than settled.
Words that belong together
- pretender to the throne
- rival pretender
- support a pretender
On the page
The pretender carried a birth record instead of an army.
Three pretenders claimed the same vacant throne.
She met the pretender in a kitchen, far from his imagined court.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- pretender
Usage notes
Primary category: fantasy. Does not necessarily mean a liar: a pretender may have a genuine dynastic claim disputed by the reigning power. Noun: pretender; plural pretenders.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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