feign

The writer feigns many a myth.

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

feign authorship of a novel.See Synonyms at pretend

she shrugged, feigning indifference.

She knew that her efforts to feign cheerfulness weren’t convincing.

He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm.

He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.

The hunter had to feign death when he suddenly found out that a bear was coming toward him.

I chatted up the paper's editor, feigning interest in his anecdotes .

The child feigned a look of innocence when his mother asked who had eaten the cake.