to make like a tourist

7.7

Act as if you are visiting a place for fun and look around

idiom

Informal

: comportarse como un turista

Whenever she moves to a new city, she likes to make like a tourist for the first week.

Examples

We rented bikes and spent the afternoon making like tourists through the historic district.
Let's make like a tourist and visit the museum!
On his day off, he decided to make like a tourist and visit all the local museums.
She decided to make like a tourist in her own city.
During our vacation in Paris, we decided to make like a tourist and visit all the famous landmarks.
Whenever we go to a new city, we always make like a tourist and take pictures of the sights.
On weekends, she often makes like a tourist and explores the local markets and attractions.

Synonyms

to see

vsto make like a tourist

∞ 1.0

To visit a place or event to look at its sights

is about exploring casually as a leisure visitor rather than just attending events

to visit

vsto make like a tourist

∞ 1.0

To go to see a person or place, usually for a short time

is specifically about exploring places casually and curiously for leisure

to sightsee

vsto make like a tourist

3 3.1

To visit famous or interesting places when you travel

explore places casually and with curiosity rather than focus on famous sites

to go walkabout

vsto make like a tourist

2 8.2

To travel without a set plan to explore and think

is casual leisure exploring that focuses on seeing places rather than aimless roaming

Antonyms

rush

1 4.1

Done quickly under pressure with less care than usual

How Curious

to explore

471 2.3

to make like a tourist

Informal

7.7

to look around

552 1.0

to pass by

165 1.2

to ignore

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

make like a tourist infinitive

made like a tourist past

made like a tourist past participle

making like a tourist present participle

makes like a tourist third person singular

Morphology

make + like + a + tourist

The meaning is directly compositional: 'make' (here 'pretend') + 'like' (similar to) + 'a tourist' yields 'pretend to be/act as a tourist'. This pattern parallels the common 'act/behave like X' construction and is therefore readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Make like a tourist comes from the image of someone acting as a tourist, to make like a tourist, walking with a map, taking photos and looking at the sights. So, it means 'to behave as a tourist' or 'to explore a place in a relaxed, curious way'.