as in to pose
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Recent Examples of playact
Today, Margaret would be playacting her own massacre in active shooter drills at school.
—
Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 1 May 2023
Trixie advises Alma to playact highness to flummox E.B.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2021
Today, this dynamic lives on in the form of Roblox strip clubs, where young people — mostly, minors — playact at adult sexuality.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2021
The world had first required her to playact as a man.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
Yona has it better than the locals who have agreed to playact, and likely die, in Mui’s fake new disaster.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2020
Cloud is almost childlike, a boy playacting at being a warrior and not always nailing the part.
—Julie Muncy, Wired, 10 Apr. 2020
Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 1 May 2023
Trixie advises Alma to playact highness to flummox E.B.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2021
Today, this dynamic lives on in the form of Roblox strip clubs, where young people — mostly, minors — playact at adult sexuality.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2021
The world had first required her to playact as a man.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
Yona has it better than the locals who have agreed to playact, and likely die, in Mui’s fake new disaster.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2020
Cloud is almost childlike, a boy playacting at being a warrior and not always nailing the part.
—Julie Muncy, Wired, 10 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playact
Verb
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Vachon even posed the question of whether working with major brands is all that different from banking on cash rebates that stipulate certain creative conditions, such as having heads of department who come from the countries providing the relief.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The challenges posed by invasive species mirror the challenges in other time-sensitive fields, like public health, climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture.—
Pam Marrone,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Following the charges, the Barnetts shared their side of the story: The couple alleged that Natalia was an adult masquerading as a child.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Is this a trainwreck masquerading as an instruction manual for maintenance of a particularly dangerous train?—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Which is to say that to dream the impossible dream is one thing, but to pretend that its reality is quite another.—
Ed Simon
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Even the generative AIs that pretend to make new things today are merely regurgitating words, phrases, and pictures that were created and shared by people.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The man was booked into Sutter County Jail on multiple felony firearm charges, possession of paraphernalia and impersonating a peace officer.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The wristbands also act as a communication device between players, allowing coordination across the grid.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Pending review of the documents, the two groups could file a derivative lawsuit, which allows shareholders to act on behalf of a company and sue the corporation’s own directors and officers, as well as other third parties who may have harmed the company.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kirk played a pivotal role in helping Republicans close the gap among young voters in 2024.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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The Astros are now one game behind the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians, with two games to play.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Among the interested parties were shipbreakers planning to dissemble the vessel for scrap metal, according to Saw.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Authorities were forced to dissemble the back deck in order to rescue some of the pups that were beneath, according to the Strong Island Animal Rescue League, who assisted with the efforts.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This week on Raw, Lynch and Rollins feigned those communication issues to allow Lynch to execute a cheap attack on Lee.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
When match officials placed a more-than-three-foot-tall trophy in the middle of the ring, Ali grabbed it and feigned running away with it.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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