make-believe

[ meyk-bi-leev ]

noun

1. pretense, especially of an innocent or playful kind; playacting; fantasy:

   the make-believe of children playing.

2. a pretender; a person who pretends.

adjective

1. pretended; feigned; imaginary; made-up; unreal:

   a make-believe world of fantasy.

make believe

verb

1. to pretend or enact a fantasy

   the children made believe they were doctors

noun

1. 1. a fantasy, pretence, or unreality
   2. ( as modifier )

      a make-believe world

2. a person who pretends

Word History and Origins

Origin of make-believe¹

First recorded in 1805–15

Idioms and Phrases

Pretend, as in Let's make believe we're elves . This expression in effect means making oneself believe in an illusion. [Early 1700s]

Example Sentences

Donetsk, formerly a make-believe republic, is turning into a little neo-Soviet state.

From The Daily Beast

Her current obsession is Harry Potter, so the guest of honor at her birthday party will be a make believe Hermione Granger.

From The Daily Beast

We were at the CIA recently, and I broached this question because it was front and center in our make-believe intelligence agency.

From The Daily Beast

Was this a conspiracy as charged in the indictment, or just some make-believe as the defense contends?

From The Daily Beast

As head of a state—even such a make-believe state as the Vatican—Joseph Ratzinger has absolute immunity from legal action.

From The Daily Beast

Never mind the dust; I've turned it on to make believe we're going tremendously fast.

From Project Gutenberg

He left about a hundred of us here to make believe we 'uns ware goin' to attack Paris, so to give him time to git away.

From Project Gutenberg

They would pick them up and hold them in their hands and would then make believe they were Cave-men trapping reindeer in the snow.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the larger reindeer that had lost their antlers started off to make-believe higher lands.

From Project Gutenberg

Already poor Richard was very humble, his make-believe spirit all snuffed out.

From Project Gutenberg