as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
zoomed around the house in a make-believe car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
make believe
2 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
as in fiction
Related 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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Jada’s living funeral was a surreal moment for Ross with her make-believe and real emotions colliding, especially with Lattimore, whom she’s grown very close to over their seven-season ride.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Adjective
Around the globe, access to safe and affordable women’s healthcare is becoming a thing of make-believe, but an emerging trend in indie film has sparked short bursts of spectacular pushback.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
Jada’s living funeral was a surreal moment for Ross with her make-believe and real emotions colliding, especially with Lattimore, whom she’s grown very close to over their seven-season ride.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
Phrase
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
See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
-
In those meetings, our would-be bosses told us to make mock phone calls to prospective clients to gauge our ability to convince strangers about the merit of an imaginary product.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Each one was built by a Ramona family, less to keep away any errant birds from imaginary crops at the Grange parking lot, but more to celebrate fall and enjoy a family collaboration.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
However, Herneval’s extravagant kingdom, the Topus Terrentus, is at risk of disappearing because people in the real world are no longer afraid of fiction.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
-
This isn’t just shot in black-and-white, thus resembling the 1960 meta-commentary on American crime thrillers and pulp fictions in all its monochromatic glory.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Of course, close animal encounters aren't always fictitious.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The Half Moon Bay weigh-off began in 1974, when the California town barely edged out Circleville, Ohio, in an amiable contest for the fictitious title of pumpkin capital of the world.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Researchers have shown that making these changes can trigger coronal rain in simulations.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The sunrise simulation gradually brightens the alarm over a customizable five to 60 minutes before your set wake-up time.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
First, and perhaps most obvious, the fictional thriller draws inspiration from the Manson Family's home invasion and murder of Sharon Tate and her friends, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Wojciech Frykowski, as well as Steven Parent, who was visiting the home's caretaker.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The Heart of the Ocean may be fictional, but its legend feels real—modeled loosely on the Hope Diamond.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Sushi knives and utensils were found with organic debris, and imitation crab meat was found unrefrigerated.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Even his imitation of 20th-century leadership lacks a certain verve.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That suits its otherworldly and somewhat formal tone, which takes viewers deep into Japan’s mythical past for a quartet of eerie tales about lonely ghosts and vengeful spirits who bring supernatural justice to selfish and immoral humans.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Mateus’s approach to the declamation of text by nonprofessional actors finds its roots in movies by Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet, while her mythic, loamy exploration of the lives of the poor through history follows in the footsteps of the Portuguese director Pedro Costa.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
If its lawyers were unable to enter federal buildings or courthouses, representation of clients before federal courts and agencies would become impossible.—
Fabio Bertoni,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
-
In addition, through diplomatic channels in both Beijing and Tokyo, Japan lodges strong representations and protests, stating that maritime and scientific surveys conducted in our EEZ without Japan's consent are unacceptable and must be immediately stopped.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share