(countable, derogatory, figuratively, uncountable) A pretension, delusion, or perverse appropriation.
LARP or not, the Femcels have a lesson for sadsack bedrotters everywhere—find a friend, hire a cracked Clateman, and start turning your cliché insecurities into corny-giddy art. 2026 February 4, Kieran Press-Reynolds, “The Femcels: I Have to Get Hotter Album Review”, in Pitchfork, archived from the original on 05 Feb 2026:
(Internet, countable, derogatory, slang, uncountable) Synonym of LARPer (“someone who pretends”)
“Which is why I'm thinking LARPer,” Griffith argued. “Goths interact with non-Goths more in LARPing than anywhere else. And there are non-Goth look people that hang with the Goths.” 2006, John Ringo, Princess of Wands:
(broadly, derogatory, often, slang) To pretend to be something, to act as something, or to delude oneself into believing to be something.
When you think about it it really is crazy that the true sovereign of the world's imperial hegemon is basically an academic seminar in which a couple of legal scholars larp as historians all day. 2022 June 30, Anton Jäger (@AntonJaegermm), Twitter:
Harper Spiller (Aubrey Plaza): I don't know what my problem is. I just feel like— I feel like we're LARPing as rich people.
Ethan Spiller (Will Sharpe): We're not LARPing. How— how are we LARPing? 2022 November 6, Mike White, “Italian Dream”, in Mike White, director, The White Lotus, season 2, episode 2, via HBO:
(Internet, derogatory, slang, transitive) To appropriate performatively, maliciously, or without real understanding.
it larpare (to pretend to be something or act as something) · is kvikspuna (to engage in live-action role-play) · tr larpmak (to pretend to be something or act as something) · sv lajva (to engage in live-action role-play) · tr larpmak (to engage in live-action role-play) · pt larpar (to pretend to be something or act as something) · pl larpować (to pretend to be something or act as something) · tr larplamak (to engage in live-action role-play) · pl larpować (to engage in live-action role-play) · sv lajva (to pretend to be something or act as something) · tr larplamak (to pretend to be something or act as something) · cmn cos (to pretend to be something or act as something) · fi larpata (to pretend to be something or act as something) · fi larpata (to engage in live-action role-play)