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
as in fiction
Synonyms & Similar Words
make believe
3 of 3phrase
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of make-believe
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
Haley Strack, National Review, 19 Sep. 2024
Now all those slips were stuffed into a cigar box, then placed in a miniature grave in a make-believe burial.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make-believe 
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
Noun
Children are supposed to be shielded from harsh realities, to be happily preoccupied with make-believe, to have their innocence protected.
—Haley Strack, National Review, 19 Sep. 2024
Now all those slips were stuffed into a cigar box, then placed in a miniature grave in a make-believe burial.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
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To mark the accomplishment, his offensive linemen surrounded him and placed an imaginary crown on his head, acknowledging the king of all scores.Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Nov. 2024
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Screenwriter Steven Knight even has her stroll around with an imaginary character named Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a TV reporter she’s hallucinated into existence in order to feel important.Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The books are mainly literary fiction, with occasional nonfiction.Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
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In fiction, that’s not always true, but the principle of economy still applies.JD Barker, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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During this same time period, Macy’s accounting statements recognized around $4.36 billion in delivery expenses—suggesting that somewhere between 3% and 3.5% of those expenses were fictitious.Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024
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Michael Gandolfini’s star rose sharply with his appearance in 2021 The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark as a young Tony Soprano, the fictitious crime boss immortalized by his late father James Gandolfini.Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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These are digital representations of individual patients that help assist physicians in the simulation of treatment and predict outcomes prior to implementation in real life.Srinivas Vadhri, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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This structure, which was modeled using computer simulations, would also explain the weirdness of the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune, both of which are nothing like our own.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Set in a fictional North Carolina town, One Tree Hill followed two half-brothers, Lucas (Murray) and Nathan (Lafferty), who are forced to navigate high school and social circles despite having a strained relationship.Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
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At the beginning of Gladiator II, he is forced to return to Rome after an army led by the fictional general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades Numidia, kills Lucius’ wife and son, and sells him into slavery as a gladiator.Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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For this reason, imitation learning seems to have an edge over simulation.James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
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The site responsible was not specified, but BBC news host Kasia Madera reported there were several that offered Attenborough imitations.Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Its length combines with its silver skin and bright red scarlet fins to give it a mythical look.Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
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Tinker bells and mermaids, and there are so many more statues of women as mythical figures than women who have lived and fought and celebrated.CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Bitcoin’s new heights A representation of cryptocurrency Bitcoin is seen in this illustration taken Nov. 25, 2024.Kristian Burt, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
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Founded in 2004 as a way for smaller chains to compete with bigger brands and their massive budgets for technology, distribution and sales representation, GHA launched its first frequent guest program a few years later.Doug Gollan, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near make-believe
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
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