Act as if
Play and act as if are semantically related. in make a show of topic. In some cases you can use "Play" instead a verb phrase "Act as if".
Both terms in one sentence
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Of course, this works on the honor system - it's up to the other players to play fair and act as if they don't see the invisible one.
Source: Visible Invisibility -
Despite his traditional one-shot killing method proving inneffectual against Mylene, he continues to play-act as if he's James Bond around her, despite the whole "gentleman assassin" thing not even being a part of his obsessive-compulsive shtick.
Source: Manga / 009-1 -
The first few minutes of the play are done with no lights but the characters act as if the apartment were fully illuminated; then there's a blackout and the lights go up full while the actors pretend they can't see.
Source: Hollywood Darkness
Cite this Source
Play and Act as if. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 08, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_as_if/play
Act as if & Play. N.p., 2016. Web. 08 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_as_if/play>.
Play or Act as if. 2016. Accessed August 08, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_as_if/play.