1. plural of kayfabe; the staged, scripted nature of professional wrestling presented as real competition; the illusion maintained by wrestlers and promoters that matches are genuine athletic contests.
Usage: informal; professional wrestling terminology; often used in wrestling fan communities and media

Examples

• The wrestlers maintained kayfabes by never breaking character in public.
• Fans debate which kayfabes are the most entertaining storylines.
• Modern wrestling promotions have relaxed some of the traditional kayfabes.
• The kayfabes of professional wrestling require careful coordination between performers.
• Social media has made it harder for wrestlers to preserve kayfabes outside the ring.