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
  • The show comes after Sheeran was forced to cancel his Gillette Stadium shows last weekend amid a nor’easter headed for Boston, despite caving to Kraft’s demands.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Sheeran’s tour was slated to play at Kraft’s Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts at the end of September (the shows were ultimately canceled last minute due to severe weather).
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of shows
Noun
  • It's been a great couple of years for horror movies, which means that the time was right for the return of horror spoofs.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of spoofs
Noun
  • Conference expansion has shattered pretenses to regional coherence.
    — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretenses
Noun
  • The name of the collection parodies the seriousness of the museum, even as the collection itself is the kind of thing that has traditionally gotten scant attention within actual institutions.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • His high-water mark was without a doubt the United Way commercial, one of the best commercial parodies of the last 25 years.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of parodies
Noun
  • Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guises
Noun
  • Suzhou MoCA Curved glass and warm-toned stainless steel have been used across the structure and its facades.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Pastel Colonial buildings lined the streets, their facades glowing in the afternoon sun, while the plazas hummed with life.
    — Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of facades
Noun
  • The framework’s third prong responds to the unique dangers AI poses to children.
    — Matt Post, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The video is analyzed for quality—Birdbuddy looks for clips with good poses and exposure, pulls out a few still images from the video, and sends it to the app as a Postcard.
    — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of poses
Noun
  • As season seven airs, Newport is juggling her divorce alongside a string of high-profile romances.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026
  • South Park airs on Comedy Central, which is owned by Paramount.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 29 Sep. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Put-ons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-ons. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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