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
In this spooky play, five high school theater students are putting on an educational show about the dangers of drinking and driving by re-creating a deadly car crash.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters' birthday is Saturday, and in his memory his eldest son is putting on a concert in Chicago.
—Zak Spector, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
The cherry blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Real America’s Music is putting on a show.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
On his proper introduction, Nett seems keen to fashion himself in the mold of new-wave rage stars like Che and Osamason, burning his low-end to a crisp and putting on his best Keef squeak.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
Which was why, at the very end, when Gordon tuned in on the wireless to a dance band and Robert was supposed to waltz Olwyn about the room, Stella had no patience with St Ives’s reaction to Geoffrey’s ten-second delay in putting on the gramophone record.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 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
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters' birthday is Saturday, and in his memory his eldest son is putting on a concert in Chicago.
—Zak Spector, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
The cherry blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Real America’s Music is putting on a show.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
On his proper introduction, Nett seems keen to fashion himself in the mold of new-wave rage stars like Che and Osamason, burning his low-end to a crisp and putting on his best Keef squeak.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
Which was why, at the very end, when Gordon tuned in on the wireless to a dance band and Robert was supposed to waltz Olwyn about the room, Stella had no patience with St Ives’s reaction to Geoffrey’s ten-second delay in putting on the gramophone record.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putting on
Verb
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Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Analysts note that the Russia Defense ministry has a habit of exaggerating advances when the frontlines are scarcely changing.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the office a week later, Jones continued pacing back and forth in the warehouse, pretending to be in a war movie while Buckley was in the hallway, calling the police.—
Josh Owens,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Kingston police launched an investigation last week after the Silver Lake Regional High School employee, whose name was not released, was allegedly seen having conversations with a social media streamer pretending to be a young girl.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Einstein costars Melissa Fumero and Matthew Gray Gubler are in the spring spirit, donning colorful ensembles at CBS Fest on April 15 in Los Angeles.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
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The starting point for Castro’s character is donning the olive-green uniform, the cap, sporting the beard and developing the mannerisms Cubans know from his multi-hour speeches.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means trains are now operating on a full schedule, simulating real service, to prove the system is ready for the public.—
Amanda Starrantino,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Games like Space Engineers and Surviving Mars also do a great job of simulating energy bottlenecks; one of the major challenges of powering a real moon base isn't so much generating enough power as delivering it efficiently and reliably.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cook has led the company for almost 15 years, assuming the role shortly before founder Steve Jobs’ death in 2011.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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But Europe is also making a show of assuming more responsibility for Arctic operations.—
Alan Crawford,
Bloomberg,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putting on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putting%20on. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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