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
Relevance
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
Noun
-
The eligibility dates for the 2024 Emmy Awards apply to shows that aired between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025 -
There will be mermaid swim shows and meet and greets, pirate adventure shows and sailor camp.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Today, Neeson is doing action spoofs (thank God), and even the John Wick series has run its course.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Harold is so clearly not a great man that his pretenses feel more like cries for help.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
-
They were arraigned on Friday in Brockton District Court on one count each of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses, embezzlement, and conspiracy.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Kaufman and Herz co-founded Troma Entertainment in 1974, which has produced or distributed more than 1,000 low-budget parodies in the past five decades, including the original Toxic Avenger movie in 1984.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Bad actors can take on all kinds of guises—including pretending to be lawyers.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Both lands are based on Marvel's comics, rather than its movies, but IMG's is more immersive as its rides are hidden behind colorful facades of famous Marvel Comics' landscapes.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Using roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography (NIL), the team has developed decorative films that allow photovoltaic (PV) modules to seamlessly blend into building facades without sacrificing efficiency.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The lesson is beautifully depicted in the 30-page journey illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey, who perfectly draws ballet poses, including pointe dancing.—
Leslie D. Rose,
Parents,
11 Sep. 2025
-
D4vd poses with 5 Gum during Interscope and Capitol Records Coachella Party 2025 on April 12, 2025 in Palm Springs, California.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
How to watch The Rainmaker live without cable The Rainmaker airs on USA Network, which is available to stream on services like Sling TV.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The Drew Barrymore Show airs weekdays on CBS.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Put-ons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-ons. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share