make-believe 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of make-believenext
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

make-believe

2 of 3

noun

as in fiction

Related Words

make believe

3 of 3

phrase

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 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
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
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 All jobs have a performative aspect to them, but when people engage in make-believe in exchange for money, there’s often a devaluation of that work. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Phrase
So in this case, let’s make believe in some timeline that didn’t happen and my wife got a manicure that day. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
  1. imaginary
  2. fiction
  3. fictional
  4. simulation
  5. fictitious
  6. imitation
  7. mythical
  8. representation
Adjective
  • Other use cases for Google Earth’s image generation include visualizing future or imaginary projects.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • For years, Ryan Coogler, Chadwick Boseman and Marvel Comics have brought to the world Wakanda, an imaginary African nation powerful enough to control its resources, protect its culture and build its future without the rest of the world’s permission.
    — Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of imaginary
Noun
  • The intricacy with which Whitehead details the planning and execution of this caper marks him as a top-tier researcher — he’s drawn on many primary sources to ground this work of fiction in historical fact.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • In much of literary fiction, characters and settings are developed slowly, through the gradual accrual of discrete moments that rarely stray from the mundane and the reasonable.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of fiction
Adjective
  • It is set in Mano Majra, a fictional village on the new frontier between India and Pakistan, where Sikh and Muslim families have lived together peacefully for generations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
  • Joanne Miller is a fictional agent who in the film leads the manhunt for the adult Ted and uses the words in the Unabomber’s manifesto to track him down.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of fictional
Noun
  • This could reportedly improve simulations of molecular processes such as electron transfer.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
  • During simulations, train your team to lead with context and forward momentum, not apology or over-explanation.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of simulation
Adjective
  • But the samurai genre already presupposes a fictitious otherworldly place, and everyday normalcy simply doesn’t exist there, Kurosawa said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • Here are three fictitious, but realistic, examples that reflect how different promotions may work.
    — Louis DeNicola, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of fictitious
Noun
  • The shoes have also inspired countless imitations from other brands, making the popular design more affordable and accessible, while the original remains highly coveted among shoe lovers.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 July 2026
  • Bosses recently told Deadline that microdrama has moved well beyond cheap, schlocky imitations of traditional TV and film.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Definition of imitation
Adjective
  • Fast-forward from the lair of a mythical creature to the feeds of Gen-Z influencers and tangy, curd-y cheese is still having a moment.
    — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of chasing a mythical peak, look for three concrete signals.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of mythical
Noun
  • At a Black Girls Code summer day camp in Atlanta last month, roughly 50 girls built their own video games from scratch — part of a national push by the nonprofit to close a wide representation gap for Black women in the tech and gaming industries.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Real-time indices, meanwhile, may suffer from inadequate representation across CPI categories.
    — David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of representation

Browse Nearby Words

make away with
make-believe
make believe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-believe. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of make-believe for Spanish Speakers

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