make-believe
make-believe — noun
1. The practice of treating imaginary situations or objects as though they were rea
The practice of treating imaginary situations or objects as though they were real, often done to make ordinary life more enjoyable or to avoid facing difficult truths.
Niran spent much of childhood living in a world of make-believe, pretending the old barn was a castle.
"world of make-believe" collocation
Mira told her friends that their business plan was pure make-believe and would never work in reality.
For the children, the treasure hunt was just make-believe, but Yara still treated it with total seriousness.
The film blurs the line between reality and make-believe, leaving the audience unsure what is real.
Critics accused the government of living in a world of make-believe, ignoring the rising cost of living.
- fantasy
fantasy often involves elaborate imagined worlds or stories; make-believe can be simpler and more spontaneous
- pretense
pretense suggests deliberate deception or acting; make-believe is more innocent and play-like
- imagination
imagination is a broader mental capacity; make-believe is the active use of imagination to treat the unreal as real
- reality
the opposite of the imagined or pretended state
常見錯誤
2. A type of play in which children act as if imaginary situations, objects, or rol
A type of play in which children act as if imaginary situations, objects, or roles are real, often taking on the identity of a character or profession.
Kenji and Romi were engaged in make-believe, pretending the cardboard box was a rocket ship.
"engaged in make-believe" collocation
Mayumi and her younger brother spent the whole afternoon in make-believe, taking turns being the shopkeeper.
The nursery teacher set up a corner for make-believe, with colourful costumes and a toy kitchen.
During make-believe, five-year-old Daichi pretended to be the vet, learning how it felt to care for someone else's pet.
- pretend play
pretend play is a more formal term used in child development research; make-believe is the everyday word
- role-play
role-play can be structured or therapeutic; make-believe is freer and more spontaneous
- imaginative play
imaginative play covers any creative play activity; make-believe specifically involves acting as if something false is real
用法筆記
This sense refers specifically to children's imaginative play, not to adult fantasy, delusion, or deception.
make-believe — adjective
1. Not real or true; existing only in the imagination, especially in the context of
Not real or true; existing only in the imagination, especially in the context of play or storytelling.
The children built a make-believe castle out of blankets and pillows in the living room.
"make-believe + noun" attributive pattern
Piotr told the class a make-believe story about meeting a dragon in the school playground.
The make-believe world of the video game felt more exciting than real life to Liam.
Kevin bought a make-believe telephone for his nephew's third birthday.
- imaginary
imaginary is broader and can refer to any mental image; make-believe strongly implies pretending or play
- pretend
pretend is more often used as a verb; as an adjective it is very similar but slightly more informal
- fictitious
fictitious is formal and often used for written stories; make-believe is more casual and play-oriented