1
as in to throw (on)
to place on one's person
I put on a coat and shoes to go outside
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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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3
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
put on a show of anger just for fun
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as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
a put-on goofy voice
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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
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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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Recent Examples of put on
Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
Last step in your makeup or skincare routine Cleaning the face and putting on the foundation and then putting on the makeup.
—Hedy Phillips, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 1 June 2024
While broadly based in reality, the entire movie is a put-on, a wackazoid tall tale, a comedy that uses the breakfast wars as the jumping-off point for a high-camp exercise in nostalgic lunacy.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for put on 
Verb
All of this is happening just as the danger raw milk poses could skyrocket thanks to bird flu, the very reason Raw Farm was put on ice.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
Last step in your makeup or skincare routine Cleaning the face and putting on the foundation and then putting on the makeup.
—Hedy Phillips, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
An artist on the court and a put-on artist off, Walton was an all-time great basketball player, the world’s tallest Grateful Dead groupie, a philosopher, hyperbolic orator and comedian.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 1 June 2024
While broadly based in reality, the entire movie is a put-on, a wackazoid tall tale, a comedy that uses the breakfast wars as the jumping-off point for a high-camp exercise in nostalgic lunacy.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for put on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put on
Verb
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This book only exaggerates that a little and gets the point across with its oceanography-meets-psychology text and gorgeous design. 8.Brian Boone, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
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Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has greatly exaggerated the death of legacy media in his posts on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.Peter Suciu, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For instance, pretending to admire them will go to great lengths, especially compared to providing them with a reality check or confronting them about their mistakes, behavior, or values.Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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In 1966, Cole starred with Deborah Walley (Gidget Goes Hawaiian) in the 3D sci-fi film The Bubble and appeared on an episode of Gunsmoke in which his character pretended to be the son of a man killed by Matt Dillon (James Arness).Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In August 2022, China launched a mock military blockade of Taiwan after Nancy Pelosi became the first serving U.S. House speaker to visit the island in 25 years.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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Her sleeveless dress included a mock neck and flounce detail in the front that allowed for a thigh-high slit.Mikelle Street, WWD, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Under the pretense of protecting her family, Emilia sends her wife, Jessi (Gomez), and their children to Switzerland.Robert Lang, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
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When Avril moves in with a woman, resorting for a while to the pretense of separate bedrooms, this upheaval in their lives is barely mentioned.Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody Experience a unique blend of seduction and sci-fi with this burlesque parody show set in a galaxy far, far away.Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 6 Dec. 2024
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Vera Drew won Breakthrough Director for the zany superhero parody The People’s Joker.Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Cohen would dress up, donning his father’s button-down jackets from the 1960s, along with fisherman hats.R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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As for the kids, Angelica donned a classic black and white pantsuit, while Jessie wore a metallic dress.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The claim: Image shows UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect’s fake ID A Dec. 9 Threads post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of what at first glance appears to be a Hawaii driver’s license with a photo of the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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The porch is covered in fake roses, from its pillars to ceiling to gable, where Cantabrana places a small Guadalupe statue in its apex.Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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To Look Out For Behind the anthropomorphized facade, what appears as reasoning in AI agents is actually sophisticated pattern matching combined with programmed responses.Charles Towers-Clark, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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The real human being behind the facade of America's sweetheart baddie is my most kind, genuine, hilarious, loving friend.EW.com, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Put on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put%20on. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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