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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put on
Tom Costello, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
Anna awakes in her chic apartment with a to-die-for view, makes a cappuccino, puts on designer duds and takes the upscale dog for a walk.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Talie Smith, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
With access to troves of archival footage, Braverman shows Kaufman transforming the very nature of comedy by launching the put-on into existential extremes.
—Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Verb
All four astronauts have put on their spacesuits and passed a series of leak checks, according to NASA.
—Tom Costello, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
Anna awakes in her chic apartment with a to-die-for view, makes a cappuccino, puts on designer duds and takes the upscale dog for a walk.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The most earnest-sounding campaign can feel like a put-on.
—Talie Smith, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
With access to troves of archival footage, Braverman shows Kaufman transforming the very nature of comedy by launching the put-on into existential extremes.
—Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
-
The scrutiny of fame has always been dehumanizing, though the ubiquity of the modern-day comment section has surely accelerated and exaggerated its cruelty.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The team, according to records shared with Semafor by Moore’s office, is digging into whether Moore had exaggerated his military record, as well as his high school and collegiate basketball tenure.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Given the dollar amounts of current NIL and revenue sharing agreements, pretending college athletes are not employees is ludicrous.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
11 Apr. 2026
-
One day, Jaime is detained by a security guard at a shopping mall, and Matías must ask a stranger to pretend to be their father in order to help free him.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In 1985, a mock trial was held in Jerusalem against Mengele, and Spiegel was called as a witness.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The mock neck, cap sleeves, and gold hardware cinching the waist give it a polished, elevated look that could easily pass for something much pricier.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
K-pop is unusual in that there’s none of the pretense that often accompanies traditional pop music.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fan-favorite fighter is a parody of '90s action movie stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was an inspiration for the character, according to Polygon.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Human artists have designed creative parodies of AI slop, but AI lacks the necessary self-awareness to parody itself, even with a human behind the wheel.—
Cath Virginia,
The Verge,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Pope Leo broke Vatican protocol by donning a White Sox cap last year.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In the film’s short teaser, Cruise — donning an Ethan Hunt-esque hair and makeup transformation — moves balletically while carrying a shovel.—
Audience Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Security company Trend Micro has documented that actors who’ve worked on past operations benefiting the North Korean government have used these addresses, particularly in scams involving fake recruiters.—
Jessica Klein,
PC Magazine,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Faces of Death isn’t a remake of the infamous 1978 exploitation landmark, a faux documentary that positioned itself as an anthology of actual carnage (though much of its disturbing footage was fake).—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The facades are replicas made to scale, one-third the size of the original buildings.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As the façade of privilege begins to crack, the film charts an unsettling psychological terrain.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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