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
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
That's when former Texas coach Cliff Gustafson came up with a way to put on a fundraiser while merging UT's past and present.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
But this isn’t what irks rage’s older detractors, who grew up loving Dr. Dre and knew the misogyny of 2001 was not the put-on some of the gun talk might’ve been.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Verb
After posing for several pictures (see below), Williams helped Carney put on a white fleece before wrapping his leg around the Prime Minister as photographers took more shots.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
That's when former Texas coach Cliff Gustafson came up with a way to put on a fundraiser while merging UT's past and present.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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
But this isn’t what irks rage’s older detractors, who grew up loving Dr. Dre and knew the misogyny of 2001 was not the put-on some of the gun talk might’ve been.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
-
The aforementioned labels, as well as a few heritage trainer brands, already have strong contenders on the market, including Adidas’s laceless Taekwondo style, which offers an especially chic way to exaggerate the profile.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Schmidt Automotive Research said Chinese growth was exaggerated by special conditions in the second half of 2025 but will still be formidable.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Besides its provocative moniker, there’s a reason the app went mega-viral without spending a dime on advertising — and didn’t even have to pretend to be a buzzy new AI product.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
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Ignoring the Rules of the Road Treat the grocery cart like your car and pretend that every aisle has a stop sign on either end, says frequent shopper and Senior Lifestyle Editor Ivy Odom.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thai troops uncovered a sprawling scam complex in Cambodia where international fraud rings used mock police stations and bank replicas to deceive billions of victims globally.—
Sakchai Lalit,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Stewart reacted in mock offense.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For two hours, everyone agreed to the spectacle, and in that pretense, honesty found a surprising foothold.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
There is no longer even pretense of remorse or accountability.—
Binaifer Nowrojee,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This whole administration is sort of a parody of, like, a women’s-studies class on masculinity.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The network quickly moved to censor a transgressive sitcom parody where soon-to-be-Ramones-manager Danny Fields tries to cure a TV repairman’s hemorrhoids by sticking a lightbulb up his ass.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At the world premiere of Margot Robbie's buzzy new adaptation of Wuthering Heights, the Australian actress paid tribute to Elizabeth Taylor's legendary Hollywood romance with Richard Burton by donning Taylor's iconic Cartier Taj Mahal necklace on the red carpet.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
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Skye Hankey, the daughter-in-law of car-loan billionaire tycoon Don Hankey, was spotted donning a black asymmetrical dress with leather gloves and clutch in hand.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At one point, Melania is shown watching television coverage of the proceedings on CNN, apparently unconcerned that the network only traffics in fake news.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Authorities have said the backpack contained a ghost gun, fake IDs, a notebook and other writings detailing Mangione’s grievances against the private health care system in the United States.—
Adam Reiss,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The city's development department provided entrepreneurs with information about city grants that support facade improvements, interior development and retail investment.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Catherine was the queen of self-abusing, hard-living, and heading-over-the-hill entertainment veterans — women who were trapped behind a façade of slick showbiz tics that barely covered the active volcano of psychosis bubbling right under their surface.—
Merrill Markoe,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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