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 UpdikeSynonyms
Examples of make-believe in a Sentence
Adjective
zoomed around the house in a make-believe car
Recent Examples on the WebAbid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 July 2024
Across the room, more children take turns playing customer and shopkeeper in a make-believe flower shop.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 20 June 2024
The visual style is graphic and minimal — legs are sticks, bodies are basically balls — and Quack’s curmudgeonly disposition provides just the right amount of vinegar, which may be why, long after my daughter has moved out of the neighborhood of make-believe, she’s still entertained by Peep.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 11 June 2024
Even this more limited application of the Fifth Circuit’s make-believe Constitution would lead to disaster.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 13 May 2024
The series focuses on the real-life magic of make-believe and curiosity, as Bluey and Bingo invent elaborate games for both their parents and friends to play.
—Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week Us, theweek, 29 Apr. 2024
Readers were suddenly exposed to political tracts, memoirs, make-believe and erotica.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024
Writer, director, and star John Krasinski's new film, IF, features an embarrassment of voice cast riches playing the movie's many imaginary friends, but one star in particular is most like their make-believe character: Steve Carell.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 17 May 2024
So what happens when Meow Wolf decides that its next place of expansion is the home of American make-believe?
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
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
Video-game make-believe becomes heinous when presented as realistic TV drama.
—Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2023
Life doesn’t work out the way one wishes, even for make-believe characters.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023
Noun
The film tells the story of a young girl’s make-believe friend who endeavors to save her and their relationship.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 July 2024
Across the room, more children take turns playing customer and shopkeeper in a make-believe flower shop.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 20 June 2024
The visual style is graphic and minimal — legs are sticks, bodies are basically balls — and Quack’s curmudgeonly disposition provides just the right amount of vinegar, which may be why, long after my daughter has moved out of the neighborhood of make-believe, she’s still entertained by Peep.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 11 June 2024
Even this more limited application of the Fifth Circuit’s make-believe Constitution would lead to disaster.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 13 May 2024
The series focuses on the real-life magic of make-believe and curiosity, as Bluey and Bingo invent elaborate games for both their parents and friends to play.
—Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week Us, theweek, 29 Apr. 2024
Readers were suddenly exposed to political tracts, memoirs, make-believe and erotica.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024
Writer, director, and star John Krasinski's new film, IF, features an embarrassment of voice cast riches playing the movie's many imaginary friends, but one star in particular is most like their make-believe character: Steve Carell.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 17 May 2024
So what happens when Meow Wolf decides that its next place of expansion is the home of American make-believe?
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 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
Video-game make-believe becomes heinous when presented as realistic TV drama.
—Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2023
Life doesn’t work out the way one wishes, even for make-believe characters.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023
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.
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 Jul. 2024.
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