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
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
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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
Haley Strack, National Review, 19 Sep. 2024
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
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
Children are supposed to be shielded from harsh realities, to be happily preoccupied with make-believe, to have their innocence protected.
—Haley Strack, National Review, 19 Sep. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for make-believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-believe
Adjective
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As Callas glides from a conversation with her butler to an interview with an imaginary journalist to strained rehearsals with a patient pianist, the music of her past invades the narrative — sometimes in visually fantastical ways.Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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Likely, Russians, Chinese, Iranians, and assorted proxy accounts are already actively boosting versions of Houthi claims or other disinformation in ways that take the imaginary Houthi victories into a realm of far more insidious and closely watched disinformation networks.Peter Suciu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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On the power of seeing and being seen. … Paperback fiction 1.The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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As the first Black winner of a RITA Award for romantic fiction, Ryan has written bestselling books that showcase beautiful, multifaceted, and nuanced characters.Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Is Eggers’s the scariest because I’m jaded and over-exposed to gory content of all sorts—fictitious or otherwise?Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2024
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To avoid legal repercussions, the crew constructed a series of fake foam tombstones to strategically block real ones, complete with fictitious names that jokingly nodded to the cast and crew.Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What To Know Using advanced climate simulations, the research team explored how future atmospheric rivers will interact with oceanic conditions such as surface temperatures and water mixing.Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
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As Shutdown Nears More Of North Korea’s Giant Howitzers Roll Into Russia What Pavia’s Win Means (And Doesn’t) For The NCAA And JUCO Transfers From Vision To Reality Shell is pushing the boundaries of AI beyond simulations into practical applications.Bernard Marr, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The 40-year-old Canadian actor, who saw earlier success on the CBS medical drama Code Black, eventually found his home on the Netflix series, which follows relationships, drama and romance in Virgin River, a fictional small town in Northern California.Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2024
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This reps Knox’s first appearance in a fictional television series.Matt Minton, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But this is of course only an imitation of linearity.Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
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But the third nominee, Robin Williams, still got on stage at the insistence of Nicholson and ended up doing a spot-on imitation of him.Jenelle Riley, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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There’s its mythical leader as represented in creepy murals; the Egan family, whose members speak with religious fervor about capitalist enterprise; and Mark’s boss Mr. Milchick, played by series breakout Tramell Tillman, whose dance moves from a sinisterly awkward office party went viral.Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
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When to book Kayak confirms what USA TODAY has mentioned before: there's no mythical best time to book anymore.Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Wall Street's second-largest exchange now faces a dramatic shift in its push for diverse board leadership representation.Kori Hale, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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With multidimensional characters, juicy storylines, and Black culture front and center, The Gates will have impactful representation, one of the key touchstones of the venture.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 17 Dec. 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 30 Dec. 2024.
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