The term 'pretends to be' can be expressed in three different ways using crossword solutions. The first is 'acts', which means to do something or behave in a certain way. The second is 'APES', which means to imitate or copy someone else's behavior. The third is 'actsas', which is a combination of the two words and means to pretend to be someone else. All three words refer to pretending to be someone or something that one is not.