Pretending to be is a form of deception in which someone acts as if they are someone else or something else. The term can be broken down into three words: IMITATING (9 letters), Aping (5 letters) and Posingas (8 letters). IMITATING is the act of copying or reproducing someone or something, while Aping is the act of IMITATING or mimicking someone or something. Posingas is the act of pretending to be someone or something else. All three terms refer to the same concept of pretending to be someone or something else.