make-be·lieve
ˈmāk-bə-ˌlēv 
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-believe—
John Updike
John UpdikeExamples of make-believe in a Sentence
Adjective
zoomed around the house in a make-believe car
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
As a bonus, this reusable fake is a fun prop to keep around for make-believe health care provider visits.
—Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
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
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Noun
Elizabeth’s character gives Virginia’s child-like character a bath at a certain point, and both of your performances sold this make-believe mother-daughter scenario.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
As a bonus, this reusable fake is a fun prop to keep around for make-believe health care provider visits.
—Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Make-believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make-believe. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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