as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
it was clear to her friends that her reaction to the news was pure playacting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playacting
Noun
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Popular on Variety Craig Sweeny’s screenplay strikes a frequently arch posture to accommodate this trickster protagonist, which undermines any pretense of seriousness elsewhere.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025 -
To suggest that gimmickry somehow cancels a film’s worthiness plays into the nonsensical pretenses of awards season.—
Armond White,
National Review,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The winner goes on to the Super Bowl on February 9. Who will perform in the Super Bowl Halftime show?—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
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Astley and Gallagher were among the English musicians who played a benefit show commemorating the reopening of Manchester Arena in 2017.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Wind chills in this region could reach 20 degrees, posing a significant threat to people and property.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
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Wind chills in this region could reach 20 degrees, posing a significant threat to people and property.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Advertisement The imposing concrete structure, known as the Lower Busch Tank, shows signs of age, with a latticework of cracks across its facade and splintered wood ringing its upper rim.—
Connor Sheets,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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An architectural landmark, the hotel’s facade has been meticulously restored to its original splendour, recovering the colours, ornamental details and original structures of the hotel as it was originally inaugurated in 1912.—
Angelina Villa-Clarke,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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While maintaining a quirky and mysterious air, the show yields questions like, is a cult real if its creators are pretending but its followers aren’t?—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Dec. 2024
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June Squibb plays the titular Thelma, who gets taken in by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) to the tune of $10,000.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Viewers learned that what happened to Laura was a brutal act of violence, one that lacked an easy explanation; the series instead offered both a mundane and a supernatural reason for her murder.—
Emma Stefansky,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2025
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The British viewed the Boston Tea Party as an act of treason and retaliated with punitive measures that would ultimately lead to conflict.—
Joe Minihane,
CNN,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The fast-acting shampoo should only be left on wet hair for one minute, and it’s designed for weekly use.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
31 Dec. 2024
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Those officials could be then tapped for acting positions.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In this guise, an already stylish vehicle more sophisticated than ever.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
21 Jan. 2025
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In its most recent guise, the company, which no longer has stores of its own, has made a return to the high street, re-emerging in 2021 through a deal with perennial brand collaborator and U.K. apparel powerhouse Next.—
Mark Faithfull,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near playacting
Cite this Entry
“Playacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playacting. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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