How to Use as if in a Sentence

as if

conjunction
  • To not act as if one ring is enough.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The world feels as if wrapped around your heel.
    — Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The door closed as if the place were a speakeasy.
    — Bob Morris, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Or as if the shirt was run over by a van.
    — Ajay Rose, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Now, they’re played as if both teams have a fever.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Bonaly reached her leg back as if to try for a jump.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The dogs hunted as if no one was sick.
    — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
  • To not to act as if the job is already done.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Then, as if on cue, the mood shifted.
    — Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Listen as if for the first time—as a child.
    — Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
  • Hands stretched, twirling as if being spun about.
    — ‘pemi Aguda, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
  • Like as if he was being stopped in the street by a fan.
    — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The birds unhinged their beaks as if to make a loud sound.
    — Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • And that film does look and feel as if it were made this morning.
    — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 22 May 2026
  • Her curly copper hair bounced on her head, as if ready for a fight.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Vance and Miller spoke as if this were a truism.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
  • And then, as if a switch had been flicked, Alamo’s tone changed again.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • But acting as if those ways are to be hushed is the way of the old world.
    — Danyel Smith, Essence, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Norway looks as if it can’t be caught with 34.
    — Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Looks as if that fresh energy paid off.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026
  • And if none of that interests you… as if!
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
  • The therapist looks as if she’s just been slapped.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The result blends in as if it's always been a part of the home.
    — Elena Donovan Mauer, Country Living, 28 July 2023
  • My chest felt heavy, as if something were pressing on it.
    — Jennifer Obel, Twin Cities, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Enzo buries his head in his dad’s chest as if looking for refuge.
    — Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
  • Zanni screamed as if sounding an alarm.
    — Domenico Starnone, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2025
  • My hands weren’t even cold, as if my body itself was adapting.
    — Kate Siber, Outside Online, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Stones, scattered across one length of lane as if thrown by a giant.
    — Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023
  • The same kind of as if they were all just built on one piece of silicon.
    — Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2024
  • All at once, as if by instinct, the rest of us clustered around him.
    — Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'as if.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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