1
as in throwing (on)
to place on one's person
I put on a coat and shoes to go outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exaggerating
to describe or express in too strong terms
some critics are putting it on when they say it's the best comedy ever made
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretending
to present a false appearance of
put on a show of anger just for fun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of putting on
Our focus is on putting on a terrific tournament this summer that continues to make a positive impact in our community and shines a spotlight on all the great things happening in Detroit.
—
Jack Springgate, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Slipping into this two-piece set is basically the equivalent of putting on your favorite pair of silky, soft pajamas.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
With no public transport to get fans all the way back to Manchester after the match, the club are putting on free coaches for supporters.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Someone talking on the phone didn’t wash her hands before putting on gloves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Based on what brands are putting on screen this year, that investment shows up in different ways.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
James also suggests applying some hair spray before putting on any warm headwear to keep flyaways in place.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 Jan. 2026
Depending on how your body responds, that could manifest as either shedding or putting on pounds.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 23 Jan. 2026
Each residence is just steps away from the beach, so close that putting on shoes would be foolish.
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Jack Springgate, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Slipping into this two-piece set is basically the equivalent of putting on your favorite pair of silky, soft pajamas.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
With no public transport to get fans all the way back to Manchester after the match, the club are putting on free coaches for supporters.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Someone talking on the phone didn’t wash her hands before putting on gloves.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Based on what brands are putting on screen this year, that investment shows up in different ways.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
James also suggests applying some hair spray before putting on any warm headwear to keep flyaways in place.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 Jan. 2026
Depending on how your body responds, that could manifest as either shedding or putting on pounds.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 23 Jan. 2026
Each residence is just steps away from the beach, so close that putting on shoes would be foolish.
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putting on
Verb
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Historically, some doctors have dismissed these differences as women exaggerating their pain or being unable to tolerate the same discomfort as men.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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He was accused of exaggerating his actions following King’s assassination and making anti-Semitic remarks.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There wouldn’t have been any point to our pretending not to be Jewish, because everybody thought of us as Jewish and that would never change.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
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The series of snaps opens with the singer pretending to chat on an old-fashioned rotary dial phone while wearing a brown animal-print coat with leather and feather accents.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After donning hats and shirts that commemorated their championship, the Bruins celebrated on the floor with cheers and pictures.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Buc-ee's is arguing that the animalistic logo is too similar to the buck-toothed beaver donning a red baseball cap inside of a bright yellow circle.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In large cage experiments simulating natural populations, the gene drive spread to nearly 100% of mosquitoes and caused complete population collapse within 7 to 11 generations.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
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This key test involves loading the rocket with fuel, preparing the capsule that will house the Artemis II crew for the duration of the mission for launch, and simulating a launch countdown.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That changed a bit on a sunny Saturday in San Francisco, the contest assuming a smidgen of campaign heat — chanting crowds, sign-waving supporters, call-and-response from the audience — as the state party held its annual convention in this bluest of cities.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
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The mayor is expecting to distribute the payments before the end of March, assuming the ordinance passes both its first and final readings, with a final vote anticipated on March 10.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putting on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putting%20on. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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