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
Example 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
Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Fake Wedding follows two broke singles who throw a fake wedding to cash in on the registry and the very real problems the make-believe couple encounters.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
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
As a bonus, this reusable fake is a fun prop to keep around for make-believe health care provider visits.
—Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Fake Wedding follows two broke singles who throw a fake wedding to cash in on the registry and the very real problems the make-believe couple encounters.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
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Like the ugly duckling, new employees often internalize the stressful discomforts caused by real or imaginary signs of mistrust or rejection.—
Naira Velumyan,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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Answer: Minnesota Who was Riley’s childhood imaginary friend?—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
17 June 2025
Noun
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From Paper to Protocol Today’s trade infrastructure is a patchwork of legal fictions and trust intermediaries - letters of credit, bills of lading, third-party guarantees - many of which exist solely to simulate trust.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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On his life as a moviegoer So vividly drawn is King’s fiction that it’s offered the basis for some 50 feature films.—
Jake Coyle,
Twin Cities,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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In the film, a massive great white shark hunts people swimming in the water surrounding the fictitious Amity Island.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
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Ever since Max began streaming the drama about life in a fictitious Pittsburgh emergency room, it’s been one pinch-me moment after another for Wyle and his fellow executive producers John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Map showing an average-case scenario in a Scientific American simulation of a nuclear attack on U.S. silos.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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Grave Seasons is a colorful pixelated farming and town simulation game (reminiscent of Stardew Valley), where amidst all the relationship building and crop harvesting, players must figure out which of the townspeople is a supernatural serial killer.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The film takes place in 2020 — yes, that 2020 — in the most visceral way, with the anti-mask local sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) of the fictional Eddington, New Mexico, facing off against the town’s COVID-guideline-advocate mayor, played by Pedro Pascal (the second of his three summer releases).—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
10 June 2025
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Standing in for the Duke of Hastings’ fictional Clyvedon Castle in season one, this real-life Baroque masterpiece is located in North Yorkshire, England, and has been in the Howard family for more than three centuries.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
Noun
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OpenAI maintain it was not meant to be an imitation of the actress.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2025
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Prep Crab Mixture In a medium bowl combine imitation crab, mayonnaise, lemon zest, and white pepper; mix well.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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And as one dad recently shared on Reddit, the days of explaining things with talk of storks or other mythical tales are likely over.—
Christian Dashiell,
Parents,
7 June 2025
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Acceptance means acknowledging that zero-failure AI systems are mythical.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Here, Sealey and Taylor talk to Deadline about the importance of disability representation in the media and beyond.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
8 June 2025
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Just two awards away from obtaining EGOT status, for over three decades, Foxx has maintained a repertoire of not only staunch professionalism, but also stands as a benefactor of Black male representation in entertainment.—
Ime Ekpo,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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