: things that are imagined or pretended to be true or real
He has been living in a world of make-believe. [=he has been believing things that are not true; he has been living in a fantasy world]
Note: When children play make-believe, they think of an imaginary world and pretend to live in it as people, animals, fairies, etc.
always used before a noun
: not real
The commercial showed a make-believe scientist in a white lab coat talking about the benefits of the product.
He has been living in a make-believe world.
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/make-believe. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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