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make believe

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /ˌmeɪk bɪˈliːv/

make believe means: To imagine that something is real, often as part of a game.

verb

PRETENDB1

To imagine that something is real, often as part of a game.

  • Let’s make believe we are pirates.
  • The children made believe that the garden was a jungle.
  • She likes making believe she can fly.

How to use it: make believe that… (Let’s make believe that our sofa is a boat.)

Similar words: pretend, imagine

Common phrases: make believe together, make believe with someone

noun

IMAGINARY PLAYB1

The activity of pretending that imagined people, places, or events are real.

  • It is only make believe.
  • Their afternoon of make believe turned the garden into a kingdom.
  • She enjoyed childhood games of make believe with her cousins.

Similar words: pretence, imaginary play, fantasy

Opposites: reality

Common phrases: a make believe game, childhood make believe

Questions about make believe

What does make believe mean?

To imagine that something is real, often as part of a game.

What is make believe in other languages?

Türkçe: mış gibi yapmak · Español: hacer como si · Français: faire semblant · Deutsch: so tun als ob · Italiano: fare finta · 日本語: ふりをする

How do you pronounce make believe?

It is pronounced /ˌmeɪk bɪˈliːv/.

How do you use make believe in a sentence?

Let’s make believe we are pirates. The children made believe that the garden was a jungle.

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make believe in other languages

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