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put–on

play
adjective \ˈpu̇t-ˈȯn, -ˈän\

Definition of put–on

  1. :  pretended, assumed

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First Known Use of put–on

circa 1625

put–on Synonyms

Synonyms
affected, assumed, bogus, contrived, factitious, fake, false, feigned, forced, mechanical, mock, phony (also phoney), plastic, pretended, pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, spurious, strained, unnatural
Antonyms
artless, genuine, natural, spontaneous, unaffected, uncontrived, unfeigned, unforced
Related Words
automatic, canned, concocted, fabricated, hokey, labored, manufactured, pat, unauthentic, unreal, unrealistic; double-dealing, empty, facile, hollow, hypocritical, insincere, left-handed, mealy, mealymouthed, two-faced, unctuous; exaggerated, histrionic, melodramatic, overacted, overdone, theatrical (also theatric); cute, cutesy, genteel, goody-goody, mincing, overrefined, simpering; conventional, formal, impersonal, inflexible, rigid, stiff, stylized, wooden; artful, calculated, conscious, cultivated, deliberate, premeditated, studied
Near Antonyms
authentic, bona fide, real, realistic, right, true; honest, ingenuous, sincere, unpretending; easy, effortless, smooth; extemporaneous, impromptu, impulsive, instinctive, unconscious, unprompted, unrehearsed, unstudied
2

put–on

play
noun \ˈpu̇t-ˌȯn, -ˌän\

Definition of put–on

  1. 1 :  an instance of putting someone on conversational put–ons are related to old-fashioned joshing — Jacob Brackman

  2. 2 :  parody, spoof a kind of put–on of every pretentious film ever made — C. A. Ridley

See put–on defined for English-language learners

See put–on defined for kids

First Known Use of put–on

1919

put–on Synonyms

Synonyms
act, airs, charade, disguise, facade (also façade), front, guise, playacting, pose, pretense (or pretence), put-on, semblance, show
Related Words
impersonation, performance, portrayal; image, persona; appearance, color, gloss; camouflage, cloak; affectation, deceit, deception, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, duplicity, fakery, fraud, guile; betrayal, double cross, faithlessness, falseness, falsity, infidelity, perfidy, treachery, treason, unfaithfulness; excuse, pretext
Near Antonyms
bluntness, candidness, candor, directness, forthrightness, frankness, openheartedness, outspokenness, plainspokenness, sincerity, straightforwardness; artlessness, genuineness, naïveté (also naivete or naiveté)

PUT–ON Defined for English Language Learners

put-on

play
adjective

Definition of put–on for English Language Learners

  • : not real or genuine

put-on

play
noun

Definition of put–on for English Language Learners

  • : the act of saying things that are not true in a joking way

Learn More about put–on

  1. See words that rhyme with put–on

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