1
as in to throw (on)
to place on one's person
I put on a coat and shoes to go outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to exaggerate
to describe or express in too strong terms
some critics are putting it on when they say it's the best comedy ever made
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
put on a show of anger just for fun
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
a put-on goofy voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
my bravery was all a put-on—I was scared out of my wits
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parody
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
for a moment, I couldn't tell if the commercial was serious or a deadpan put-on of ads by other insurance companies
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put on
Allen Salkin, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
At Unity, much of the design is done ahead of time, before the house’s walls, windows and doors are assembled inside the company’s Keene, New Hampshire, factory, then wrapped tightly in reusable plastic and put on a truck bed.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
Also, Burgess is British IRL, so props to him for faking a bad accent, then using a put-on American one for the rest of the episode.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for put on
Verb
Pretty much anyone who can raise a few thousand dollars can put on a show, most of which are under an hour.
—Allen Salkin, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
At Unity, much of the design is done ahead of time, before the house’s walls, windows and doors are assembled inside the company’s Keene, New Hampshire, factory, then wrapped tightly in reusable plastic and put on a truck bed.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
Adjective
Turns out, dat good ole dialect is a put-on: James speaks like a professor.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
Also, Burgess is British IRL, so props to him for faking a bad accent, then using a put-on American one for the rest of the episode.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
-
The Figure below breaks down the source of gross imports; the decline in oil from OPEC is pronounced, while the rise of Canadian oil imports, due to higher oil sands production, exaggerates the security of our supply, albeit only slightly.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Faced with a middling public response to the ICE raids and subsequent protests, Trump continued to use extreme language to exaggerate the magnitude of the public safety threat and to take credit for the reduction in hostilities as the week progressed.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Diversify vendors, build local backups and stop pretending just-in-time solutions work in a world that’s anything but stable.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Let Lilian slow down and hesitate before issuing a greeting—Maureen would pretend to neither hear nor see her.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, some mock boards don’t have Luis being drafted at all.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
17 June 2025
-
Connelly, like many media members, has taken part in the annual mock selection sessions run by the CFP to provide a window into its process.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
World & Nation Sean Combs’ inner circle reveals a world of guns, abuse, kidnapping and death threats May 28, 2025 The federal indictment alleges that Combs and his associates lured female victims, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
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Tiron Alexander, 35, was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud and entering a secure area of an airport by false pretenses on June 5, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The original Spaceballs quite explicitly hints at a sequel in a scene between Lone Starr (a parody of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo) and the Yoda-esque character of Yogurt (played by Brooks).—
Maddie Garfinkle,
People.com,
13 June 2025
-
The rest of the cast is uneven, with certain scenes played poorly enough to evoke parody.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Hargitay donned a black shirt and navy pants paired with silver shoes, while August wore a black top and pinstriped white pants with leather sneakers.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
14 June 2025
-
While the football star wore a matching red sweatshirt and shorts with white sneakers, the pop star donned Prada boots and an Area set, which included a beige jacket and shorts.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
California law already bans wearing a mask or other disguise, including a fake mustache, wig or beard to hide your identity and evade law enforcement while committing a crime, but there are no current laws about what police can or cannot wear.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
-
He was charged with armed violence, use of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card, possession of a fake ID and drug possession.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The brick facade will be about 75 feet tall, with the stadium rising 101 feet to the top of the canopy along Wells Street.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
-
Krafty Photos Photo : Krafty Photos Outdoor art complements the facade’s contemporary design.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
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