make-believe

1 of 2

noun

make-be·​lieve ˈmāk-bə-ˌlēv How to pronounce make-believe (audio)
variants or less commonly make-belief
: a pretending that what is not real is real
a fiction writer's childish willingness to immerse himself in make-believeJohn Updike

make-believe

2 of 2

adjective

Examples of make-believe in a Sentence

Adjective zoomed around the house in a make-believe car
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This is important because the fantasy genre frequently explores real-world oppression through make-believe people. Caitlin Penzeymoog, Vox, 7 Oct. 2024 Details make the difference to make people believe in the make-believe. Megan Dubois, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
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 See all Example Sentences for make-believe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make-believe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1806, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of make-believe was in 1794

Dictionary Entries Near make-believe

Cite this Entry

“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make-believe. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

make-believe

1 of 2 noun
make-be·​lieve
ˈmāk-bə-ˌlēv
: a pretending to be another person or character (as in the play of children)

make-believe

2 of 2 adjective
: imaginary
was only a make-believe lion

More from Merriam-Webster on make-believe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!