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
Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters' birthday is Saturday, and in his memory his eldest son is putting on a concert in Chicago.
—Zak Spector, CBS News, 3 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
In a YouTube livestream on Palm Sunday, series creator Dallas Jenkins said season 6 would release this fall, adding that final touches are being put on the season.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters' birthday is Saturday, and in his memory his eldest son is putting on a concert in Chicago.
—Zak Spector, CBS News, 3 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 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
-
Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wolf, ruled out for the season Friday but still available for his exit interview before Sunday’s game, didn’t pretend the season has been enjoyable.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This team is improved, has a deeper roster, no longer pretends Kris Bryant is a major league player and features more functional pitchers (No, seriously).—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of producing multiple mock drafts is to cover multiple possibilities, and with the ninth overall selection in the NFL Draft, there are several for the Chiefs.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
To see how the board has changed over time, check out Chris Perkins’ initial mock draft, David Furones’ post-combine mock and Perkins’ post-Waddle trade mock.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The case also ties to an earlier incident on March 24, when police say Alexander approached a woman under the pretense of asking for directions while engaging in indecent behavior.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
American Vandal is a true-crime parody that sees two teenagers investigate juvenile offenses like graffiti with all the seriousness of Making a Murderer.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
From 2010 to 2015, Freeman starred in the parody reality show Pretty the Series as Ribina Champagne.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The actress also donned a navy Di Petsa gown for the afterparty.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In a stark departure from the conservative, classic style of the Royal Family, Meghan donned a playful zebra print dress to attend a volleyball match during her and Harry's trip to Nigeria in May 2024.—
Katherine J Igoe,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Obama recently teamed up with NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards to squash their fake beef while promoting his Obama Presidential Center opening June 19 in Chicago.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The studio put an ad in The Boston Globe in December that looked like a fake engagement announcement.—
Saba Hamedy,
NBC news,
3 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 9 Apr. 2026.
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