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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
Now, a new study suggests that such make-believe play is not a uniquely human talent, but a skill that great apes also possess.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 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
Park Güell is an almost make-believe landscape, home to Barcelona’s famous mosaic lizard—the image on a thousand postcards—plus spiral towers that look like fairground slides.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
Now, a new study suggests that such make-believe play is not a uniquely human talent, but a skill that great apes also possess.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
-
If consequences are optional, deterrence is imaginary.—
Darlene Mealy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
As Siâvash increasingly retreats into imaginary characters, the documentary traces a sibling relationship shaped and strained by displacement, set against a backdrop of escalating tension between Iran and the United States that carries personal consequences for both subjects.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hokum gives you a taste of one tormented scribe’s fiction before introducing you to the man behind the keyboard.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
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The director’s 2024 fiction project In Her Place also is streaming on Netflix.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Apex, which primarily consists of its two main characters chasing each other around the fictional Wandarra National Park on location in the real Australian Blue Mountains, is more focused in action than in psychological nuance.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Some rappers have begun directly attesting to the fictional nature of their music.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Today, computer simulation and reams of telemetry data speed up designs and eliminate most of the guesswork.—
Thomas Black,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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An integrated software stack supports data annotation, simulation, and distributed AI training.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The moment that lingered came later, when the (sadly fictitious) films of William Harbeck brought me out onto the open deck at dusk.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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In those previous incidents, charges were either not pursued by the Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, or were dismissed during the criminal proceedings in a handful of cases involving assault, disorderly conduct, drug possession, and possession of a fictitious identification card.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Additionally, its full-body motion control system—trained using reinforcement learning and imitation techniques—delivers smooth, disturbance-resistant movement.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
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Male lesser goldfinches sing particularly complex songs, which include imitations of other birds' calls.—
Lauren David,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But this year’s report, published Wednesday, has the Queen City of the East – home of horror author Stephen King and the mythical birthplace of lumberjack Paul Bunyan – standing alone.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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What could be more human than to weave a mythic narrative of self and clan around what is remembered, and the slippages of what might have been?—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Last time, no kiosks were installed in La Jolla, while inland transit communities like City Heights advocated for better representation.—
Harry Bubbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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The literal representation is, here, a risk that pays off.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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