Thesaurus results for PLAYACT

playact

verb

Definition of playact

as in to pose

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 Trump’s modus, as ever, was to playact; his game has always been improv. — Joe Klein, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2023 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 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 In a twist, The Sims is now a way to playact not just an alternate life, but any life at all. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 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

The second half throws us into the other timeline, where Ari’s doppelgänger, known as Ibari, is a high-ranking undercover operative willing to disappear fellow citizens that pose challenges to the authoritarian government.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026
In the photos, the teenager could be seen wearing a pink and white dress, posing in front of her outdoor dinner party.

— Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of pose

Verb

Phishing fraudsters set up pages that masquerade as banks or other sensitive sites and disseminate links to the fake page.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
The closer the test gets to the actual work, the less room there is for a polished story to masquerade as evidence.

— Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of masquerade

Verb

The leaders who were most effective could provide clarity to their teams without having to pretend to have all the answers.

— Tracy Nolan, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Also this year, Cohen’s press officer secretly was recorded by a woman who pretended to be on a date with him.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretend

Verb

Colbert gifted Kimmel his Captain America shield, did a sketch-within-an-interview with his son impersonating a Kiwi police officer, and shaved for our amusement.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Waukegan police are warning of a phone scam involving people impersonating local police.

— Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of impersonate

Verb

The 30-year-old actress, who was named the Chinese brand ambassador for Kors last March, made her acting debut at 10 and has played numerous roles in historical, fantasy and romantic dramas.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Enter the bent-hoop, non-electronic robot that looks like an earring and acts like a sprite in a video game, jumping forever as powered by infrared light.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of act

Verb

Instead, whole grains and foods are dissembled into molecules which, with the help of artificial colorings, flavorings and gluelike emulsifiers, are heated, pounded, shaped or extruded into any food a manufacturer can dream up.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
When McKenzie asks him how much he’s contributed to the coffers of politicians, his dodging of the question is pure dissembling theater.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026

Definition of dissemble

Verb

Linney’s Guardian tries to draw out some resentment from her new candidate, but John expresses (or feigns) sympathy for Hal, who was betrayed by his father figure Sinestro, an experience John likens to his own complicated upbringing.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
The other, an 18-year-old man, allegedly feigned a role as the first man’s financial adviser.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of feign

Browse Nearby Words

play

playact

playacted

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of playact

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tittle

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes