Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pretend or imagine that something is true or real, often as part of a game or fantasy.
   • To engage in imaginative play or fiction.

Usage

• The verb "make believe" is used to describe the act of creating or entering a fictional scenario. It is often used with children's imaginative play but can apply to adults engaging in fantasy or hypothetical thinking. It can be followed by a clause (e.g., "make believe that...") or used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., "a make-believe world").

Examples

• Verb:
  • The children love to make believe they are pirates on a ship.
  • Let's make believe we are explorers discovering a new land.
  • He made believe he was sick so he wouldn't have to go to school.

Advanced Usage

• "to make believe that...": This is the most common structure, introducing the imagined scenario.
  • She made believe that the empty box was a magical castle.
• Used as a hyphenated adjective ("make-believe"): Describes something that is imagined or not real.
  • They lived in a make-believe world of fairy tales.
  • His make-believe friend was a dragon named Sparky.

Variants and Related Words

• Make-believe (noun): The act or instance of pretending; a fantasy.
  • His story was pure make-believe.
• Pretend (verb): A direct synonym for "make believe."
  • The children pretend to be superheroes.

Synonyms

• Pretend: To behave as if something is true when it is not.
• Imagine: To form a mental image or concept of something not present.
• Fantasy: To indulge in daydreaming or imaginative fiction.

Related Phrases

• Play make-believe: A common phrase emphasizing the playful, game-like aspect.
  • The sisters would play make-believe for hours in their room.

Verb

1. represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
   • She makes like an actress