He acts as if he owns the place.
as if
idiomyou use this to describe how something seems or feels, even if it is not actually true. it can also be used as a sarcastic way to say 'that will never happen'.
Origin
disputed originFrom Middle English as ȝif, alls iff (“as if”), from Old English *ealswā ġif, attested only as swā ġif (“as if”), equivalent to as + if. Compare Saterland Frisian as of (“as if”), Dutch alsof (“as if”), Low German as of (“as if”), German als ob (“as if”).
She looked at me as if I had just suggested something completely impossible.
He spoke as if the outcome were already certain, ignoring the obvious risks that threatened the entire project.
Last updated April 22, 2026