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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
  • Pisces, the lakeside seafood restaurant, gives you a front-row seat at the Lake of Dreams and its sporadic and fun evening shows.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
  • After Dukes, Booke appeared on dozens of shows, including Newhart and Full House, and in stage productions.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 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
  • 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
  • The show was a phenomenon that continues to inspire copycats and parodies; Hansen emerged as an icon for some, and a meme for others.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 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
  • People were talking to themselves, doing yoga poses, trying to sleep.
    — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The unlikely duo of Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon keynoted a Washington conference to demand a stop to AI, its data centers, and the risks AI poses to jobs and even to the human species.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of poses
Noun
  • BravesVision’s an option for all three, but Tuesday’s game simulcasts on your local Gray TV station and Thursday’s also airs on FS1.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the new series premieres on October 1 and October 2 on BBC 1 and airs twice a week.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 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
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Cite this Entry

“Put-ons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-ons. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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