From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfeignfeign /feɪn/ verb [transitive] formal PRETENDto pretend to have a particular feeling or to be ill, asleep etc Feigning a headache, I went upstairs to my room.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
feign• The silence I feigned does not mean you are not in my thoughts.• I saw that her reluctance to be taken had been feigned, or part-feigned.• I know I should be kind and concerned and that I should at least feign pathos.• At decision-making time these consequences are simply left unmentioned, allowing organizational leaders to feign surprise when qualitative costs finally assert themselves.• Bernstein returned to his desk, feigning unconcern.Origin feign (1200-1300) Old French feindre, from Latin fingere “to shape, pretend” 