make-believe 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of make-believenext
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
Light on its feet but quietly attuned to questions of grief, memory and make-believe, the film serves as a charming aperitif to kick off this year’s festival — a playful ode to the magic of cinema. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 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
Phrase
So in this case, let’s make believe in some timeline that didn’t happen and my wife got a manicure that day. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
  1. imaginary
  2. fiction
  3. fictional
  4. simulation
  5. fictitious
  6. imitation
  7. mythical
  8. representation
Adjective
  • Near the end of the story, Gardner pledges to kill his imaginary son to spare him war’s toll, but backs out upon his wish to be transformed into a noble soldier.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Argentinian prairie is adorned with imaginary houses, castles and theatres as the young girls construct spontaneous, invisible cities, stories and games in which Koberidze’s likewise unseen characters could live.
    — Manahil Tahira, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of imaginary
Noun
  • For the science-fiction concepts underpinning that world, including gravity control, faster-than-light communication and cognitive materialization, Kamiyama worked with novelist Toh EnJoe, credited as SF setting supervisor, as an outside arbiter.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In the new science-fiction mystery The End of Oak Street, Hathaway stars alongside Ewan McGregor as a couple whose family comes face-to-face with dinosaurs in their neighborhood.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fiction
Adjective
  • Blending documentary and fictional elements, directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw pay homage to the remarkable and charming people whose zest for life shapes and preserves this unique region and its centuries-old culture.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One is usually informational, and one is a fictional read for fun.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fictional
Noun
  • Eventual champions Coventry City and runners-up Ipswich Town were tipped to finish fourth and third respectively before a ball had been kicked last August, via the running of 10,000 simulations of how the campaign would unfold.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • By combining observations of IRS 3's spectrum with simulations of how its light travels through different models of the surrounding material, researchers reconstructed the structure of the star's envelope.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulation
Adjective
  • Final testing relied on fictitious data instead of the real records of millions of residents.
    — Komal Goyal, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Schools received an email from a fictitious two-parent household with both a mother and father interested in enrolling a child.
    — Kristy Buzard, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fictitious
Noun
  • Voters will just go with the real thing as opposed to the imitation.
    — Jim DeFede, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The shoes have also inspired countless imitations from other brands, making the popular design more affordable and accessible, while the original remains highly coveted among shoe lovers.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 July 2026
Definition of imitation
Adjective
  • Knott’s has transformed the 1978 Montezooma’s Revenge into a multi-launch coaster with an Aztec treasure hunter theme and a train designed to look like a mythical stone creature.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Yet when the latter is replaced by the abbreviation algol (Algorithmic Language), a whole other order of reference comes into view, involving celestial movements and mythic monstrosities.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of mythical
Noun
  • In July this year, Yuri became the latest member to depart SM while confirming her continued commitment to group activities, bringing the number of members with external solo representation to three (Sunny left in 2023).
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • All that representation went a long way toward affirming my self-esteem.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of representation

Browse Nearby Words

make away with
make-believe
make believe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of make-believe for Spanish Speakers

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