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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In the same vein, Lizoain is well aware of the dangers Barcelona’s forwards pose, with Hansi Flick able to choose from Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres (Raphinha will miss the tie with a minor injury to his right leg).—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Costco has issued a recall for its viral mini beignets in Texas and 22 other states after some packages were mislabeled, posing a risk to those with tree nut allergies, the company said.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rampant online burrowing into their internet pasts, and at least one author masquerading as Mel, have also been in the mix.—
Theresa Braine,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Custom-built by Wahlberg and designed by Richard Landry, the six-acre compound totals roughly 30,500 square feet and reads like a private resort masquerading as a house.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Besides its provocative moniker, there’s a reason the app went mega-viral without spending a dime on advertising — and didn’t even have to pretend to be a buzzy new AI product.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
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Ignoring the Rules of the Road Treat the grocery cart like your car and pretend that every aisle has a stop sign on either end, says frequent shopper and Senior Lifestyle Editor Ivy Odom.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This is the police’ The Boston Police Department is warning people that calls in which scammers impersonate police in order to demand money are on the rise.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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Man attempts to free Mangione On Wednesday, a Minnesota man was arrested for allegedly impersonating an FBI agent and trying to free Mangione.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the district has since acted to stop these payments, a serious lack of control was exhibited.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
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And yet there’s something moving about it, the spectacle of all these kids play-acting a previous generation’s trauma, as if they too will soon be swept up in it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As officials continue to investigate and search for Nancy Guthrie, Walsh emphasizes the important role the public can play in missing persons cases when every second counts.—
Julia Bonavita , Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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How to play Mega Millions Player can pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers — five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Mall).—
Tanya Wildt,
Freep.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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
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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
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Many feigned mental illnesses just to leave the barracks.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
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On Thursday, the day after Carr targeted the time slot, Colbert feigned shock.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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