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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 playacting
Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Hence the infamous playacting subplot in her 1814 novel Mansfield Park, a novel written when Austen was at her professional peak.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playacting
Noun
-
Federal officials have declared ICE’s killings lawful and justified over social media without any pretense of a formal review, making statements that are cruel, derogatory, misleading, or simply false.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Investigators say Wilson approached her under the pretense of needing directions.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Paris Couture Week, which the American designer’s Monday morning show kicked off, is for fantasy.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The company confirmed to Vogue Business that Saks Global will have representation during fashion month to attend shows and place buys.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
More than 15 pleas to adopt Valerio, showing him in playful postures such as playing fetch and posing in a sunflower hat, remain live on Instagram.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Other photos show her posing in different angles in a black two-piece SYRN lingerie set paired with an Abra top, Dolce & Gabbana boots and Messika High Jewelry bodychain.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trumpism does not hide behind the facade of something high.—
Ezra Klein,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t be fooled by the dull façade of their authority.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
How naïve must Trump be to believe that Putin cares about Ukraine’s well-being after invading it, killing thousands of its people, kidnapping tens of thousands of Ukrainian children back to Russia, and continuing to bomb civilian apartment buildings while pretending to negotiate a peace deal?—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Neem oil affects insects' feeding abilities and acts as a repellent.—
Jon VanZile,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The new Fed chief faces a tough balancing act on the dual mandate of fostering employment and keeping prices stable.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Culkin was just four years old when his acting career began.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In 2026, Elordi snagged two acting nominations at the Golden Globes, including Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Frankenstein.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At an Antarctic research station, a shape-shifting alien creature — in the initial guise of a dog — takes over and metamorphosizes into a variety of beings, supplanting the humans until their mutual distrust and isolation lead to paranoia and violence.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The Skechers shoes boast a low-profile silhouette, plus a slip-on design despite their lace-up guise.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playacting. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
