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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of put on
Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025
Jets just put on a master class with their defense in the third period.
—Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 22 Apr. 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
And now, Brooklyn is putting on his chef's hat, courtesy of his time spent in Italy and years admiring his dad's cooking skills.
—Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025
Jets just put on a master class with their defense in the third period.
—Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 22 Apr. 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
-
Forty-one percent of respondents said news outlets generally exaggerate the seriousness of global warming, which is up from 37% in 2024.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
-
This response is exaggerated in Raynaud's syndrome.—
Anju Goel,
Health,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Read: America is done pretending about meat All of this social-media attention has been translating into people’s actual eating habits, Victoria Fitzgerald, who oversees Whole Foods Market’s meat merchandising, told me.—
Valerie Trapp,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The crowd cheered, but Rema was clearly lip-synching and not trying hard to pretend otherwise, pulling the mic away from his mouth while the recording of his voice continued.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Take a look at how Omar Kelly envisions the first round playing out in the second and likely final version of his mock draft, unless there’s a trade made before Thursday night’s first-round kickoff.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Without further ado, here is the sixth iteration of mock drafts, with this being the mock draft just before the final one, which will be put out on the day of the draft.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Moore befriended Shakespeare in 2008 under the pretense of writing a book about him, but the project never materialized.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
-
What To Know According to court documents reviewed by NewsNation, Piccolo is accused of driving up to a woman in Manatee County, stopping his vehicle under the pretense of asking for directions and then exposing himself.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Imagination was key to the films that Hess made after Napoleon Dynamite: the soulful Nacho Libre, in which Jack Black as a novice monk and Lucha Libre fan gave a fully rounded characterization, and the ingenious fantasy-fiction parody Gentlemen Broncos.—
Armond White,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Those include the parodies of commercials and public access programs that begin episodes, giving us introductions to Judaism and the French-Canadian mobsters and a particular brand of coffee in ways that, like so much in the series, feel fleetingly amusing rather than coherently realized.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Sivan is not the only star to have worn the T-shirt, with the actor Pedro Pascal recently having donned the top while out celebrating his 50th birthday.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Apr. 2025
-
The girls don their coverings and start to screech and run through the forest.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Expect more fake eggs made of colored marshmallows or even potatoes on this year’s Easter spread With egg prices stubbornly high, the internet has offered up a host of alternatives, with crafters painting rocks and influencers dyeing everything from marshmallows to potatoes.—
William Lambers,
Hartford Courant,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Fooling the government about your fake relationship is one thing, but fooling your family is a whole other challenge of its own.—
Toubee Yang,
Them.,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Fact to know: In collaboration with the Dilworth Historic Commission, the project team used traditional materials and techniques — including the help of a master stonemason with access to original quarries — to ensure consistency with the church’s limestone facade.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Its grand facade, looming over the misty abyss of Tequendama Falls, is the kind of place that invites amazement and a little unease.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share