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
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
But just as much of its humor came from portraying displays of everyday decency as the stuff of Hollywood make-believe, on par with the cinematic catharsis of a high-stakes Damon vehicle.
—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
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
Tesshi Nakagawa’s scenic design is like a toy kingdom that induces the audience into a state of make-believe.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
But just as much of its humor came from portraying displays of everyday decency as the stuff of Hollywood make-believe, on par with the cinematic catharsis of a high-stakes Damon vehicle.
—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
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
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In an age of visual and underground detection, why am I delayed at a traffic signal waiting for an imaginary vehicle to enter the intersection?
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This was long before the days of mo-cap or green screens, and acting with imaginary scene partners was far from the norm.
Noun
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Weir takes readers on an adventure through this science-fiction survival story about a junior high science teacher who wakes up aboard a spaceship with amnesia.
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Crisis and renewal are strictly a matter of marketing now, a fiction that permanently assigns the Democrats the role of technocrats managing national decline while Republicans get to stand for muscular optimism and economic expansion.
Adjective
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Aside from the fictional King Kong, who first appeared in a 1933 film atop the skyscraper, others in real life legally — and illegally — climbed the famous skyscraper.
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In honor of The Bear’s final season, Jono Pandolfi’s signature white and toasted clay dinnerware (featured in the fictional restaurant) is 15% off.
Noun
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Rather, those with lower incomes and who earn lower returns are much likelier in Morningstar’s simulation to clean their accounts out, using the cash to buy a car, pay for an education or just make ends meet.
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The simulation found that stress on two of the three fault segments had reached or exceeded the highest levels seen during the past 1,000 years.
Adjective
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The book traces the fictitious Yeoman family’s evolution over generations from self-sufficient homesteaders to participants in global markets.
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Hosting its usual presentation at its headquarters, located a stone’s throw from San Babila square, the brand installed video walls that broadcast a fictitious runway show created with the help of AI.
Noun
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The pair described childhood bedrooms covered in surf magazine cutouts and boards decorated with stickers in imitation of pro riders, calling the capsule a nod to that same impulse to live inside surf culture even when not in the water.
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But influence and imitation are very different things.
Adjective
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Not to be outdone, Nintendo released a console of their own, the GameCube, which was a little underappreciated in its heyday, but has reached almost mythical status with the passage of time.
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Since her tragic death at age 36 in 1997, the almost mythical lure of her jewels has only grown.
Noun
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Organizations that successfully fought for voting rights, educational opportunity, and political representation did not always cultivate the next generation of leadership with the same effectiveness.
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The broadcast journalist, whose firing in early June from the newsmagazine made national headlines, has signed with CAA for representation, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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