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
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
-
Federal authorities said the unsafe or improper use of drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), can pose risks to aircraft, law enforcement operations and people on the ground.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Officials warned that flying debris could pose a serious threat to anyone without shelter, with damage to roofs, windows and vehicles likely, along with significant tree damage.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
What’s worrying to him is that abundance can masquerade as sufficiency.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
Conspiracy of data Whenever Americans are hungry for answers, platforms such as these can more easily masquerade as objective data analysis tools.—
Matthew N. Hannah,
The Conversation,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
How might Infantino continue to profess neutrality while still clearly taking a side, pretending to listen to every voice while remaining obedient to only one?—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
Organizations that have spent decades pretending that the best way to find a new audience is to alienate your existing one are beginning to realize the cost of their folly.—
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Armed with those details, Logendran contacted Rogers’ online support team and impersonated the husband, claiming he had been locked out of his work account.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
Catholic Charities has publicly denounced representatives’ being impersonated to scam immigrants.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
While acts as big as Lynyrd Skynyrd have headlined these nightly events, local bands like The Pork Tornadoes draw just as big a crowd.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Combat nausea with Reliefband, a 100% natural, fast-acting temporary treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, anxiety, migraines, morning sickness, chemotherapy, amusement park rides and VR gaming.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Contrary to some online sentiment, Martinez still fervently believes Portugal are closer to starting a goal up than a man down when playing Ronaldo.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Hasley hailed from Pittsburgh and played university football before venturing to Hollywood to pursue his dreams as a writer.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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
Verb
-
Watts lunged at Aguilar, who feigned passing out instead of immediately fighting back.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
In reality, the 36-year-old gamer had recorded the footage days earlier, in a bid to feign his innocence.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
