pretense, especially of an innocent or playful kind; playacting; fantasy.
the make-believe of children playing.
a pretender; a person who pretends.
a fantasy, pretence, or unreality
( as modifier )
a make-believe world
a person who pretends
First recorded in 1805–15
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Though only about seven minutes, each core “Bluey” episode unfolds patiently, often centered on make-believe, wonder and childlike ingenuity.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
None of these treatments make clear sense — mainly because they aren’t real — but that’s exactly Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso’s point: Fame is all make-believe pandemonium and there is no real recovery from it.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
As long as Hegseth keeps his chest-thumping and pull-up contests in the land of make-believe, these men are happy.
From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026
Even younger infants show early signs of understanding make-believe.
From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026
“I know who Bambi’s mother is. A make-believe deer in the pictures. You see, young’n, I know. Now get over here. Come on.”
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
