feigned ignorance

USAGE SUMMARY

"feigned ignorance" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase when someone is pretending to be unaware of a fact, situation, or circumstance. For example, "The suspect feigned ignorance when questioned about their involvement in the crime."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Lying about her age -- she feigns 21 -- Margarita wins and steals the show.

Huffington Post

Details were also reported, notably in print media, on how students where securing MPH for non-medical uses, i.e., by buying pills from other students (14 PM; 1 B; 3 PH); by feigning symptoms of ADHD (5 PM; 0 B; 2 PH); through black markets (5 PM; 0 B; 1 PH); through Internet pharmacies (4 PM; 0 B; 0 PH) and by stealing pills (3 PM; 0 B; 1 PH).

BMC Medical Ethics

The workshop's owner, a charismatic former actor named Charles Rohlfs (1853-1936), feigned some modesty in his dusty garret.

The New York Times - Arts

A video has emerged showing how Gagliardi, 34, feigned surprise as Italian police officers extracted brick after brick of solid cocaine from her wheeled suitcase and backpack.

Independent

Michael and pretty-boy bandmate Andrew Ridgeley had exactly the right payload of cuteness and feigned naughtiness, and 19-year-old songwriter Michael had an astonishing grasp of melody and dynamics.

The Guardian - Music

Before he left the stage, 50 Cent made a typically provocative announcement: "I run New York!" And T. I. (who had moments earlier declared Jay-Z the "King of New York") feigned nonchalance, responding, "Yo, 50, I'm glad you up here, 'cause you can share my enthusiasm".

The New York Times - Arts

Moisi Arianit Golemi feigned an attack with about 500 horsemen: the alarm was given and the Turks prepared for his attack.

Wikipedia

The DVD release of Michael Winterbottom's groundbreaking sex-and-music drama "9 Songs" (Nov. 8) gives the critics who feigned boredom the first time around the chance to feign it all over again.

The New York Times

The item score of Chinese Version of SIRS-2 ranges from 0 to 2 (0 = no, 1 = yes, 2 = unbearable), with higher scores suggesting feigned symptoms.

BMC Psychiatry

The better is for East to return her lowest heart at Trick 2, feigning a four-card suit.

The New York Times

And that's in addition to the late Gigante, the so-called Oddfather who walked through Greenwich Village in his pajamas feigning insanity for 30 years.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "feigned ignorance" to describe a deliberate act of pretending not to know something, often to avoid responsibility or involvement. It implies a conscious deception.

Common error

Be careful not to use "feigned ignorance" when someone is genuinely unaware. The phrase implies intentional deception, so ensure that the context supports this interpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "feigned ignorance" functions as a noun phrase, where "feigned" modifies the noun "ignorance". It describes a specific type of ignorance—one that is pretended or simulated.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "feigned ignorance" describes the act of pretending not to know something. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is grammatically sound and can be used to illustrate intentional deception or avoidance. While the phrase itself is valid, the current data shows limited examples across various source categories. Related phrases, such as "acted unawareness" or "simulated lack of knowledge", can provide alternative ways to express the same concept. When using "feigned ignorance", ensure that the context clearly indicates a deliberate act of pretense rather than a genuine lack of knowledge.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

affected ignorance

This alternative uses "affected" to mean pretended, conveying a sense of artificiality.

acted unawareness

This alternative uses "acted" instead of "feigned", emphasizing the performance aspect of pretending to be unaware.

simulated lack of knowledge

This phrase replaces "ignorance" with "lack of knowledge" and "feigned" with "simulated", offering a more formal tone.

pretended nescience

This alternative uses the more formal term "nescience" for ignorance, which means lack of knowledge or awareness.

professed ignorance

This option replaces "feigned" with "professed", highlighting a claim of ignorance that may not be genuine.

displayed ignorance

This phrase focuses on the outward show of ignorance, replacing "feigned" with "displayed".

put on an act of ignorance

This is a more descriptive and less direct way of saying someone is pretending to be ignorant.

played dumb

This is an informal idiom that means to pretend to be stupid or ignorant.

feigned innocence

While not a direct synonym, it's related; someone feigning innocence might also feign ignorance about a related matter.

deliberately overlooked

This phrase implies a conscious decision to ignore something, which can overlap with feigning ignorance.

FAQs

How can I use "feigned ignorance" in a sentence?

You can use "feigned ignorance" to describe someone pretending not to know something, like: "The suspect "feigned ignorance" when asked about the stolen documents."

What's a less formal way to say "feigned ignorance"?

Informally, you could say someone "played dumb" or "acted like they didn't know" to convey a similar meaning.

Is there a difference between "feigned ignorance" and "genuine ignorance"?

"Feigned ignorance" implies a deliberate act of pretending not to know something, while "genuine ignorance" refers to a true lack of knowledge or awareness. One is intentional, the other is not.

What are some synonyms for "feigned ignorance" that maintain a formal tone?

Synonyms that keep a formal tone include "acted unawareness", "simulated lack of knowledge", or "pretended nescience".