as if
conjunction
1
: as it would be if
It was as if he had lost his last friend.
2
: as one would do if
He ran as if ghosts were chasing him.
3
: that
It seemed as if the day would never end.
4
—used to say that something is not true, not possible, will not happen, etc.
"I am sure I am very affectionate," said Dora; "you oughtn't to be cruel to me, Doady!" "Cruel, my precious love! As if I would—or could—be cruel to you, for the world!"—
Charles Dickens
—sometimes used informally as an interjection to say that something suggested or claimed is impossible, incorrect, or ridiculously unlikely to be trueCharles DickensA simple collection of songs? As if. How about a conceptual ode to London's millennia-old history?—Craig McLean
Craig McLeanBig budgets? High-priced actresses? As if! The film cost a modest $13 million, a figure achieved by not casting stars, but rather stars-in-the-making …—Nicholas Fonseca
Nicholas FonsecaExamples of as if in a Sentence
she looked as if she wanted to ask one more question before we left
Recent Examples on the Web
Torus Pak has resolved that tension with a deceptively simple trick: a base-removal tray that allows food to be served as if it were freshly plated, restoring dignity and appetite while maintaining efficiency.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 26 July 2025
Its twanging guitars and pounding drums scan as countrified classic rock, but every element seems muffled, as if emanating from an iPhone lost in a couch.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 26 July 2025
Those lyrics can be translated as if God is speaking to you.
—Raquelle Harris, VIBE.com, 25 July 2025
In this brief glimpse into the future, Doom is shown from behind, bending down, as if introducing himself to the toddler.
—EW.com, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for as if
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Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 26 July 2025
Its twanging guitars and pounding drums scan as countrified classic rock, but every element seems muffled, as if emanating from an iPhone lost in a couch.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 26 July 2025
Those lyrics can be translated as if God is speaking to you.
—Raquelle Harris, VIBE.com, 25 July 2025
In this brief glimpse into the future, Doom is shown from behind, bending down, as if introducing himself to the toddler.
—EW.com, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for as if
Cite this Entry
“As if.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/as%20if. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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