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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put on
Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
Neither can it be put on the shoulders of Patrick Bamford after nearly four years of inconsistent game time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
Also, Burgess is British IRL, so props to him for faking a bad accent, then using a put-on American one for the rest of the episode.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for put on
Verb
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing last month, suggested consular staff could be put on longer shifts and that artificial intelligence could be used to process visas.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
Neither can it be put on the shoulders of Patrick Bamford after nearly four years of inconsistent game time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Adjective
Turns out, dat good ole dialect is a put-on: James speaks like a professor.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
Also, Burgess is British IRL, so props to him for faking a bad accent, then using a put-on American one for the rest of the episode.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
-
The Figure below breaks down the source of gross imports; the decline in oil from OPEC is pronounced, while the rise of Canadian oil imports, due to higher oil sands production, exaggerates the security of our supply, albeit only slightly.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
-
Faced with a middling public response to the ICE raids and subsequent protests, Trump continued to use extreme language to exaggerate the magnitude of the public safety threat and to take credit for the reduction in hostilities as the week progressed.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Diversify vendors, build local backups and stop pretending just-in-time solutions work in a world that’s anything but stable.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Let Lilian slow down and hesitate before issuing a greeting—Maureen would pretend to neither hear nor see her.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
The couple misspelled words a few times during their mock challenge against him.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
2 June 2025
-
Know the difference by testing candidates in mock sales situations.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps Posey will look into that now that the pretense of the campaign has been lost.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
-
UConn is already closing small classes and programs on the pretense of efficiency, while asking faculty to teach increasingly larger classes.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
The original Spaceballs quite explicitly hints at a sequel in a scene between Lone Starr (a parody of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo) and the Yoda-esque character of Yogurt (played by Brooks).—
Maddie Garfinkle,
People.com,
13 June 2025
-
The rest of the cast is uneven, with certain scenes played poorly enough to evoke parody.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Hargitay donned a black shirt and navy pants paired with silver shoes, while August wore a black top and pinstriped white pants with leather sneakers.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
14 June 2025
-
While the football star wore a matching red sweatshirt and shorts with white sneakers, the pop star donned Prada boots and an Area set, which included a beige jacket and shorts.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
5 June 2025
-
Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Drop the facade to create space for genuine connection.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
The damage to the facade appears mostly cosmetic, but the threat to the priceless VHS tapes, DVDs, Blu-rays, and more media locked inside was enough to close the shop for several days.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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