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
-
Most of the world's volcanoes that pose a risk to humans already have detailed maps of their interiors, but not Popocatépetl, despite the fact that some 25 million people live within a 62-mile radius and houses, schools, hospitals and five airports could be affected by an eruption.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Jan. 2026
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Officers also are prohibited from firing their weapons at people who pose only a threat to themselves, and cannot fire from a moving vehicle, unless in urgent circumstances.—
Kyle Werner,
Des Moines Register,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Diet culture masquerading as health and wellness profits from people obsessing over their weight.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
6 Dec. 2025
-
Today’s online environment intensifies this effect, allowing a small number of loud or coordinated voices to masquerade as true consensus.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
To pretend as if everyone doesn’t recognize him.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Parents reported that their children loved playing with the original Nékojita FuFu, pretending to fan their faces and blow-dry their hair.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In that case, attackers impersonated legitimate apps and walked users through terminal commands that installed the same AMOS infostealer.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
-
He was robbed by a man impersonating a police officer and testified as a key witness at the trial, according to a media reports.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
These encounters appear to act like a refueling system, delivering fresh gas that can keep the black hole quietly active for long periods.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
While bold at first glance, electric blue is surprisingly wearable, acting almost like a modern neutral when paired with black, white, gray, navy, or denim.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Peat fit in well with Arizona’s veteran lineup, as the freshman didn’t force the issue and played within the offense.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Jan. 2026
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Guys were playing hard, everybody on that drive was doing their job, and getting guys down on the ground.—
Mike Kaye
Updated January 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
When Glassman asked him if the burns were third-degree or second-degree, Rudd feigned being unable to recall what doctors had told him.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
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Then, while Williams was stoic, Storrie feigned nervousness about presenting, contorting himself into knots.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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