play make-believe

idiom

: to think of an imaginary world and pretend to live in it as people, animals, fairies, etc.
children playing make-believe

Examples of play make-believe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The clubhouse has working doors and a steering wheel so kids can play make-believe, transforming this swing set into a racecar, boat, or even a spaceship—wherever their imagination takes them. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2023 Little ones can get lost in a dense ‘forest’ of pool noodles, or commandeer a pirate ship and play make-believe with a treasure chest full of costumes and treasures. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 7 June 2021 Some of you would have Popovich play make-believe, though. Mike Finger, ExpressNews.com, 11 July 2020 Even young chimpanzees seem to play make-believe. Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 2 June 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play make-believe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near play make-believe

Cite this Entry

“Play make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20make-believe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!