MAKE BELIEVE Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

make-believe 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of make-believe

as in imaginary

not real and existing only in the imagination zoomed around the house in a make-believe car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

make-believe

2 of 3

noun

as in fiction

Related Words

make believe

3 of 3

phrase

as in pretend

to present a false appearance of He made believe he was sick to get out of going to school.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of make-believe

Adjective

Tesshi Nakagawa’s scenic design is like a toy kingdom that induces the audience into a state of make-believe. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 But just as much of its humor came from portraying displays of everyday decency as the stuff of Hollywood make-believe, on par with the cinematic catharsis of a high-stakes Damon vehicle. — Erik Adams, The Atlantic, 10 May 2026

Noun

All jobs have a performative aspect to them, but when people engage in make-believe in exchange for money, there’s often a devaluation of that work. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026 The borders between real life and make-believe should be high, Larry concluded, because the emotions surrounding the former can easily kill the fragile art of the latter. — Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for make-believe

Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe

Adjective

Hop aboard an imaginary Vespa, or perhaps a high-speed train eastward to the boot country, where not every meal comes blistering out of a brick oven or ladled from a bubbling pot.

— Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026
Some rehearse using a bedpan — placing it in the right spot, cleaning out the imaginary contents.

— Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 30 June 2026

Definition of imaginary

Noun

The obvious gem of the collection is the attention-getting title story, about the Canadian Nobel laureate Alice Munro, who died in 2024 — and whose complex, layered short fiction Aviv admires.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Like an author of fantasy fiction, Wolfgang Voigt is continually rewriting and restructuring the internal logic of his own world, going back to his old work in the hopes of imposing some order upon his sprawling mythopoeia.

— Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026

Definition of fiction

Adjective

The duo, known for fictional young adult content on YouTube, plans to keep leveling up their material while keeping it native to the internet.

— Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The Paramount+ show follows Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler on a new adventure in the fictional South Texas town of Rio Paloma.

— Brayden Garcia July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026

Definition of fictional

Noun

Computer simulations further demonstrated that the decentralized coordination framework can scale to swarms of at least 64 robots.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Partnering with iRacing — the gold standard in racing simulation — ensures this will be a truly special new chapter in our gaming history.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of simulation

Adjective

The book traces the fictitious Yeoman family’s evolution over generations from self-sufficient homesteaders to participants in global markets.

— Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 23 June 2026
Hosting its usual presentation at its headquarters, located a stone’s throw from San Babila square, the brand installed video walls that broadcast a fictitious runway show created with the help of AI.

— Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026

Definition of fictitious

Noun

And the guy who loved John Wayne movies and came to do a fine imitation reckoned his should be in that spirit.

— Vahe Gregorian July 5, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
In fact, the pursuit of a truly American design style—one that turns away from imitation and toward exploration—has been a focus for architects since this country was founded.

— Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 4 July 2026

Definition of imitation

Adjective

But a wiser course might be to emphasize a kind of counter-nostalgia, reclaiming a mythic past for the forces of tolerance and democratic generosity.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Together, the band brings to life a mythic world of ancient heroes and villains, attracting an excited audience of headbangers and fantasy fanatics, many of whom show up in costume.

— Steve Appleford, SPIN, 29 June 2026

Definition of mythical

Noun

While size representation edged upward on paper, conversations throughout the season were dominated by the return of extreme body ideals, which don’t necessarily show up in our data.

— Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Their menu is seasonal and slightly whimsical while retaining a clear vision, a good representation of the many personalities that make up the Kimball House team.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of representation

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make-believe

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“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of make-believe

adjective

noun

phrase

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