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
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
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
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
Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 18 Sep. 2024
Acting is ultimately unfettered make-believe, and Adams returns to that most basic and essential form of play in her work.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 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
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
Acting is ultimately unfettered make-believe, and Adams returns to that most basic and essential form of play in her work.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
-
And the exasperation goes from imaginary frustration to real annoyance.Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
-
And through her mesmerizing filmmaking, Kapadia creates a world that didn’t seem possible — which, of course, reinforces how imaginary this new place might prove to be.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Mann published no fiction for the duration of the war.George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
-
That is to say, fiction should, to my mind, slightly eclipse the author’s own understanding of it.Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Everyone read a fictitious story about a school that was running out of water because its local aquifer was drying up.Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024
-
To Kaplan, the onscreen romantic chemistry between the two fictitious lead characters, rival booksellers Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly, drew her attention.David Chiu, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
In a 2024 paper, Siraj and his co-authors ran simulations of the solar system, including an extra planet beyond Neptune.Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
-
Some 270 simulations resulted in a 269-269 Electoral College tie.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Set in the fictional town of Salem, Illionois, Days of Our Lives follows the lives of several families including the Bradys, the Hortons, the Carvers, the DiMeras and the Kiriakises.Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
-
Plus, this isn't that much of a political fantasy: There's no way both the president and the vice president could be women, even in this fictional world.Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me.Zack Sharf, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
-
In imitation, Golembiewski wore a brown knit hat and a white piece of lace with skulls attached to a brass ring that rested on her shoulders and a hula hoop suspended around her knees.Peter Breen, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Jones says that mythical golden age was mainly for white Christians who did not have to share the wealth, culture and political power with people of color.Russell Contreras, Axios, 2 Nov. 2024
-
Alebrijes: Even the dead need a spiritual guide Pedro Linares, an artist in Mexico City, introduced the celebration to colorful, mythical creatures known as Alebrijes in 1936.Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Always review forms and do not work with someone who will not sign a VA representation form (21-22 or 21-22a).Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2024
-
Yellowstone has tackled hot-button topics that are top of mind for voters this year: land ownership, representation onscreen with its Native storytelling and reproductive rights, among other topics.Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 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 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share