put-on

noun

ˈpu̇t-ˌȯn 

-ˌän

1

: an instance of putting someone on

… conversational put-ons are related to old-fashioned joshing …

—Jacob Brackman

2

: parody, spoof

… a kind of put-on of every pretentious film ever made …

—C. A. Ridley

Synonyms of put-on

• pretense
• facade
• show
• guise
• act
• pose

Examples of put-on in a Sentence

my bravery was all a put-on—I was scared out of my wits

for a moment, I couldn't tell if the commercial was serious or a deadpan put-on of ads by other insurance companies

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for put-on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

put-on

1 of 2 noun

ˈpu̇t-ˌȯn, 

-ˌän

1

: a false appearance or presentation

my bravery was all a put-on

2

: a joke in which someone is fooled

put on

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)pu̇t-ˈȯn, 

-ˈän

1

a

: to dress oneself in

b

: to make part of one's appearance or behavior

c

: pretend entry 1 sense 1

put on a show of anger

2

: exaggerate, overstate

they're putting it on when they make such claims

3

: perform sense 3b, produce

put on an entertaining act

4

: kid entry 2 sense 1, fool

you're putting me on

put-on adjective