1
as in to throw (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 to exaggerate
to describe or express in too strong terms
some critics are putting it on when they say it's the best comedy ever made
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
put on a show of anger just for fun
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
a put-on goofy voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pretense
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parody
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
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Recent Examples of put on
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Hospitals in northern Cagayan province were also put on alert.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
But this isn’t what irks rage’s older detractors, who grew up loving Dr. Dre and knew the misogyny of 2001 was not the put-on some of the gun talk might’ve been.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Verb
The french fries had a disconcerting astringency, like they’d been dusted in the same stuff that’s put on Hint of Lime Tostitos.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Hospitals in northern Cagayan province were also put on alert.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
With access to troves of archival footage, Braverman shows Kaufman transforming the very nature of comedy by launching the put-on into existential extremes.
—Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
But this isn’t what irks rage’s older detractors, who grew up loving Dr. Dre and knew the misogyny of 2001 was not the put-on some of the gun talk might’ve been.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
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But the tastefulness of Kogonada’s realization keeps the brazen absurdities of plot masked in sleek understatement rather than gleefully exaggerating them.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Blaney isn’t exaggerating — IndyCars are expected to lap Phoenix nearly six seconds faster than their stock-car cousins.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The study saw parents use actions to joke and pretend with kids aged 16 to 20 months old.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Learners also engaged in mock sales calls with members of the Hawks’ sales staff, receiving real-time feedback in small breakout rooms.—
Ryan Stowers,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo in their latest 2026 mock draft have Peterson edging out BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Tennessee’s Nate Ament for the top spot.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 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
-
Trump’s decision to resurrect the name Department of War strips away that pretense.—
Tom Debley,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However the season's second episode, which features a parody of Charlie Kirk, continues to be absent from the schedule.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
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However, this reboot is more so a parody that starts as a reboot, but is definitely not a reboot.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kim Kardashian made her French Vogue debut on Friday, Sept 19, gracing the cover for the first time and donning nothing but cartier diamonds.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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She's also known for corsets and having her friend Anna Delvey (aka Anna Sorokin) who walked the runway in a bonnet, while donning her ankle monitor.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The love story is reluctant allies to lovers, with a dash of fake dating, a pinch of pen pals and a whole clove of secret identities.—
Lia Amador,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
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All of the students purchased their fake degrees for $10,000 to $20,000 each.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido, a 1908 Moorish fantasy commissioned by entrepreneur Nicolò Spada, boasts Byzantine domes and an eclectic façade that have sheltered everyone from Winston Churchill to Erroll Flynn, from Greta Garbo to Clark Gable.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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The industry groups also dismissed Shein’s partnership with French retailer Pimkie as a facade to provide legitimacy to the Chinese giant.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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