put-ons

noun

plural of put-on
1
as in shows
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoofs
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-ons
  1. shows
  2. spoofs
  3. pretenses
  4. parodies
  5. guises
  6. facades
  7. poses
  8. airs
Noun
  • Halftime shows, in-stadium entertainment The 2026 experience felt most explicitly American in and around stadiums.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • This fall, some of the shows will go back to the museum’s roots.
    — Vanessa Grigoriadis, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026
Definition of shows
Noun
  • The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
  • But given the current box office sensations of Obsession and Backrooms, Tiddes certainly wishes the timing had allowed for spoofs of those horror movies.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Definition of spoofs
Noun
  • Trimpey also faces a felony charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • At school, Jin’s oldest daughter, Jane, teams up with a Black classmate, one of few, to expose their neighbors’ prejudices and pretenses.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of pretenses
Noun
  • Gordon has made a name for himself through parodies that channel different personas and genres.
    — Marc Malkin, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Scary Movie paved the way for more big-screen parodies, including Date Movie (2006), Epic Movie (2007), and Meet the Spartans (2008).
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 June 2026
Definition of parodies
Noun
  • Somewhere between a sandal and a ballet flat, caged silhouettes come in all manner of guises.
    — Sarah Leigh Bannerman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
  • Footballing success, in differing guises, came a long time ago.
    — Adam Leventhal, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Definition of guises
Noun
  • Cabins open to terraces overlooking the surrounding pines and exude a Wes Anderson summer camp vibe, with touches of industrial-style metal punctuating the wooden facades.
    — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026
  • The longer roadmap stretches from bricklaying to full facades.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of facades
Noun
  • Users can explore featuring different models, poses, backgrounds and visual directions.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 20 July 2026
  • Proponents say open-source practices promote innovation, while critics warn that making powerful AI models publicly accessible poses safety and security dangers.
    — Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of poses
Noun
  • King’s full interview with Tenisha airs Thursday, July 23, on CBS Mornings.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness airs Fridays on HBO.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026
Definition of airs
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

put one's finger on
put-ons
put out
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Cite this Entry

“Put-ons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-ons. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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