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
as in fiction
Related 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
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2026
Alongside her, child actors dance and frolic with shadow puppetry in the land of make-believe, where youths go on adventures and learn math, science and reading skills.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
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
Alongside her, child actors dance and frolic with shadow puppetry in the land of make-believe, where youths go on adventures and learn math, science and reading skills.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2026
Alongside her, child actors dance and frolic with shadow puppetry in the land of make-believe, where youths go on adventures and learn math, science and reading skills.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
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Casa Maruka Cleverly channeling an old-fashioned casa de comidas complete with an imaginary granny (Maruka) at the stove and classic Spanish dishes tweaked for modern tastes, Alberto Serrano and Maria José Calabria continue to preside over what may be Palma’s most consistently enjoyable restaurant.—
Paul Richardson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Locate the two uppermost stars — Merak and Dubhe — and draw an imaginary line from the former through the latter and out into space.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ginger Strand Ginger Strand is an American author of nonfiction and fiction.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
26 Feb. 2026
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However, a narrative/fiction film has typically emerged as the winner, which is unsurprising given that more critics focus on that genre of filmmaking than on nonfiction.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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German defense technology startup SWARM Biotactics has deployed programmable cyborg insect swarms for paying NATO customers, including German military forces, moving a seemingly fictional concept from experiments to operational field use.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
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On Friday, Bella Hadid stepped out in Milan to promote her new collaboration with Miss Sixty, rocking blunt platinum bangs reminiscent of the fictional pop star.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Key components include three simulation suites with a control room capable of running multiple scenarios simultaneously, five programmable manikins, multiple classrooms and flexible learning spaces, workrooms and an American Heart Association Training Center.—
Mark Mondier,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Mitchell’s voter simulation puts the possibility of two Republicans facing off in November, and shutting out Democratic gubernatorial candidates, at 12%.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Who wants to sit through a fictitious novelist’s clumsy drafts?—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The committee requested that information after a congressional watchdog found last December that the enhanced premium tax credits were vulnerable to fraud, with auditors successfully obtaining subsidized coverage for multiple ‘fictitious’ applicants.—
Sophie Brams,
The Hill,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Anything that's solid stone or marble and has some weight is going to have more value than a lighter-weight piece or a plastic imitation.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
25 Feb. 2026
-
It's made with ultra-soft imitation fur to keep your pup warm and cozy.—
Jessica Moore,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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To be sung, and now written, about was to achieve a kind of mythic divinity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The calm shatters when a local boy is found drowned near the mythical island of Svärtan.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Twin Cities Care Services was convicted in 2016 of four counts of theft by false representation.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The judges said prosecutors had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants had made false representations.—
Jennifer Jett,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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