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
Ella Gonzales
may 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Chandee's deportation was put on hold for two weeks.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 8 May 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
The Meals with Meaning supper club is putting on a seven-course dinner on June 7 exclusively featuring Duong DeVille beef dishes.
—Ella Gonzales
may 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Chandee's deportation was put on hold for two weeks.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 8 May 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
-
Someone could leave out important details, exaggerate or accidentally confuse you without meaning to.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
The league decided to introduce postgame flop fines in the 2012-13 season where plays were reviewed after games and those individuals were fined for exaggerating contact.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Herbert's not going through the motions and pretending to be a relationship with a pop singer like some aging tight end.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
The problem is what happens when couples pretend otherwise.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The sprawling 85-acre facility used to train Atlanta’s police and firefighters includes a mock gas station, a train track with several rail cars, a firehouse, a horse stable, a seven-story burn tower and a 28-lane indoor shooting range.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
12 May 2026
-
Adding the appropriate gothic touch to this Debra Hill production are John Lloyd’s dripping-with-mock-Victorian-splendor sets and John Morris’ delightfully tongue-in-cheek score.—
Kirk Ellis,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
In the movie, members of the narcotics unit face suspicion for allegedly stealing some of the money under false pretenses and for their own benefit.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
The company seems to have dropped any pretence of regular pricing.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Both a parody of action films and a legitimately great action film on its own terms, this is one of the best genre hybrids of the aughts.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
-
The film from Picturehouse has over 85K social followers on its parody Instagram account (@bboymalone212).—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Fortunately the wig has had a second outing with Fouracres donning it again in Episode 7, when his parody Attenborough turned up to wrestle a discontented rhino during Weekend Update.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Woods, with facial hair, donned a black long sleeve and hat with sunglasses, gray shorts and black shoes, while still wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The bot-detection firm Cyabra analyzed seven days of activity around the ad and determined that 15 percent of the TikTok accounts commenting on it were fake but had created a disproportionately large percentage of the uproar.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
To return the favor, Graham proposes a fake dating scheme with Wells to make her crush, singer Justin Kohl (Josh Heuston), jealous.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Stay in a Former Warehouse Meantime, Gibson’s Warehouse is a boutique property with a history of its own, and one that dates to the early 1900s when this inn got its start as a warehouse with a brick façade.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
This dual-purpose envelope combines functionality with expressive design, creating a facade that is both energy efficient and visually striking.—
Adam Williams
May 13,
New Atlas,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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