as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
it was clear to her friends that her reaction to the news was pure playacting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playacting
Noun
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The two men lured the woman under the pretense of a meeting then beat her to death in the desert because of her gender identity, prosecutors said.—
Maritza Dominguez,
AZCentral.com,
31 July 2025 -
Hoffa's son said the purpose of the meetings was just a pretense to get Hoffa alone to murder him.—
Eric Shawn,
FOXNews.com,
26 July 2025
Noun
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Though Colbert's show has been nominated for 33 Emmys in all, across various categories, since 2017, it's never won.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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As the show opens, the audience is introduced to Ka’iana (Momoa).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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While posing for photos at the event, Princess Charlene was joined by filmmaker Blanca Li, and her sister-in-law Princess Caroline of Hanover, among others.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2025
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Artists, designers, stylists, actors and musicians came out from all corners of the industry, posing on the red carpet and dancing to the sounds of Star Amerasu, the evening’s DJ.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Jurmala Best for: art nouveau charm and Baltic spa culture Location: Near Riga, Latvia Grand wooden villas with ornate facades peek out from the trees, remnants of Jurmala’s 19th-century heyday as a spa town.—
Becca Blond,
AFAR Media,
1 Aug. 2025
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In a city overflowing with couture design and minimalist facades, Copenhagen’s pastry legacy is continuing to be rewritten.—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Vogue,
31 July 2025
Verb
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This prompt gives you enough talking points to contribute thoughtfully without pretending to be an expert.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Sometimes, a performer sings and manipulates the puppet, but groups can perform, with each member focusing on one piece of the act.—
Ryan Garza,
Freep.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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However, the very act of molding yourself constantly can make rejection hurt even more deeply.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When the acting dream started Growing up in Sacramento, Smalls was a three-sport athlete in high school attending West Campus, Rosemont and Foothill in North Highlands.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Mar. 2025
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Right before graduation, Smalls found a two-year program in the William Esper Studio in New York City which teaches acting techniques such as the Meisner Technique.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Now Schaffer is trying to sneak the same high-grade, unadulterated fun into a major motion picture, with a steely Neeson as its guise.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
1 Aug. 2025
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There are a number of ways the club is now resembling its former guise, despite a world of difference in wealth and purported ambition, and this is one of them.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Playacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playacting. Accessed 11 Aug. 2025.
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