PUT-ONS Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

put-ons

noun

plural of put-on

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-ons

Noun

Plans on the table include competitive gaming showcases, community programs for creators, fan meet-ups and concert-style shows featuring K-pop acts.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Some of those rescued are covered in mud and appear injured after being battered by the flood, one video shows.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 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

The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Johnson created the story of Nancy (Emilia Jones), who is not a girlfriend, but a crush who Bourdain foolhardily (and under false pretenses) follows to Provincetown after not getting a writing fellowship.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of pretenses

Noun

MacDonald and editor Phil Hignett have a keen, witty sense of how the online realm crashes offline living, seamlessly integrating deadly-accurate TikTok parodies into the film’s breezy narrative flow.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
The internet quickly responded to the viral moment with reactions and parodies.

— Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 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

The team says the material could eventually be used in energy recovery ventilation, building facades, thermal comfort systems and other building applications.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
The bakery first opened at a location across the street in 1894, with the year emblazoned on the historic building’s facades.

— Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of facades

Noun

The crowd points their phones at the pair, who are alternating between short dances, rhythmic movements, and striking poses.

— Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
In the campaign, Pugh poses wrapped in one of the brand’s camel coats in a minimalist room in front of the camera of Mario Sorrenti, who has a long-standing relationship with the fashion company.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of poses

Noun

Episode one of the eight-episode season airs November 1 on HBO Max.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
With performer lineup updates rolling out throughout August, there's now a clearer picture of what viewers can expect when the live broadcast airs September 3 from the Starlite Auditorium in Marbella, Spain.

— Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 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.

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“Put-ons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-ons. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of put-ons

noun

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