make-be·lieve
ˈmāk-bə-ˌlēv 
variants
or less commonly make-belief
: a pretending that what is not real is real
a fiction writer's childish willingness to immerse himself in make-believe—
John Updike
John Updike
Synonyms
Examples of make-believe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebBryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2023
At the start, a young girl in a scarlet raincoat traipses across the grass of an English country house as a white horse gallops past, as if out of a vision or a child’s make-believe.
—Zachary Barnes, WSJ, 27 Oct. 2023
The first point is exactly the make-believe reality that net neutralizers want people to think exists.
—Michael O'Rielly, National Review, 26 Oct. 2023
This miniature Cape Cod house provides plenty of make-believe space for your child while avoiding the less-sophisticated look of plastic playhouses.
—Laura Kristine Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2023
In the Hamptons, summer types don’t wax on about make-believe fishing docks or get overly nostalgic about a mom-and-pop donut shop.
—Holly Peterson, Town & Country, 31 Aug. 2023
The magic of ‘Star Wars’ derived from George Lucas and his love of make-believe, at once childlike and hugely sophisticated, and from his myth-sized view of the absolutes of good and evil, courage and treachery.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2023
But this wasn’t Hollywood make-believe: there on a screen, in front of me, were images and video recording a living nightmare as furniture slid, objects flew and great gasps heaved from the subject of the exorcism, while an ancient priest chanted in Latin.
—Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Aug. 2023
View full post on Instagram Zooey gave us the full tour of the playhouse including a trip down two slides, even showing us her the make-believe office and guest house.
—Maggie Horton, Country Living, 5 Aug. 2023
Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 17 Mar. 2023
The internet provided a fertile new stage for my proclivity for make-believe.
—Kira Homsher, Longreads, 14 Mar. 2023
Video-game make-believe becomes heinous when presented as realistic TV drama.
—Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2023
Life doesn’t work out the way one wishes, even for make-believe characters.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023
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Noun
Oil Stain Lab’s has just listed its make-believe Half11 Prototype endurance race car for $600,000 on The Arsenale, according to The Drive.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2023
At the start, a young girl in a scarlet raincoat traipses across the grass of an English country house as a white horse gallops past, as if out of a vision or a child’s make-believe.
—Zachary Barnes, WSJ, 27 Oct. 2023
The first point is exactly the make-believe reality that net neutralizers want people to think exists.
—Michael O'Rielly, National Review, 26 Oct. 2023
This miniature Cape Cod house provides plenty of make-believe space for your child while avoiding the less-sophisticated look of plastic playhouses.
—Laura Kristine Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2023
In the Hamptons, summer types don’t wax on about make-believe fishing docks or get overly nostalgic about a mom-and-pop donut shop.
—Holly Peterson, Town & Country, 31 Aug. 2023
The magic of ‘Star Wars’ derived from George Lucas and his love of make-believe, at once childlike and hugely sophisticated, and from his myth-sized view of the absolutes of good and evil, courage and treachery.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2023
But this wasn’t Hollywood make-believe: there on a screen, in front of me, were images and video recording a living nightmare as furniture slid, objects flew and great gasps heaved from the subject of the exorcism, while an ancient priest chanted in Latin.
—Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Aug. 2023
View full post on Instagram Zooey gave us the full tour of the playhouse including a trip down two slides, even showing us her the make-believe office and guest house.
—Maggie Horton, Country Living, 5 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Yet in the past, intimate scenes in theater, film and television were rarely treated with the same mindfulness as a make-believe duel.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 17 Mar. 2023
The internet provided a fertile new stage for my proclivity for make-believe.
—Kira Homsher, Longreads, 14 Mar. 2023
Video-game make-believe becomes heinous when presented as realistic TV drama.
—Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2023
Life doesn’t work out the way one wishes, even for make-believe characters.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make-believe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near make-believe
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make-believe. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
make-believe
1 of 2 noun
make-be·lieve
ˈmāk-bə-ˌlēv
: a pretending to be another person or character (as in the play of children)
make-believe
2 of 2 adjective
: imaginary
was only a make-believe lion
More from Merriam-Webster on make-believe
Nglish: Translation of make-believe for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of make-believe for Arabic Speakers
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