PLAYACTING Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

playacting 1 of 2

noun

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

playacting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of playact

as in masquerading

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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 playacting

Noun

The incident led to Ünsal’s dismissal from the game and drew widespread criticism after replays showed Rivaldo playacting. — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026 Whenever the real Rhodes was bludgeoned in the ring (his injuries themselves feigned as part of pro wrestling’s playacting), the fake one came to Theresa with his medical bills. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Alexis Mac Allister, whose fall from grace this season has been akin to Fabinho’s stark decline in 2022-23, stupidly delayed the taking of a Villa corner with some playacting which even prompted Slot to tell him to get up. — James Pearce, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Hence the infamous playacting subplot in her 1814 novel Mansfield Park, a novel written when Austen was at her professional peak. — Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for playacting

Noun

The application moves away from last-minute stress, unwanted items, and polite pretense, establishing a modern channel for intentional giving.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
And the idea that yakuza were on the side of the common man was rarely anything more than a pretense.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretense

Verb

The men appear to have developed a close relationship and often share pictures together on their socials, including posing together at the 2021 Los Angeles premiere of the Peter Jackson’s Beatles miniseries Get Back (see above).

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
One image showed Patton posing for a mirror selfie at what appeared to be the White House.

— Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of posing

Noun

For years, the show's staff has begun each morning with a long meeting about the day's news, and what should and should not be included in the two-hour broadcast.

— Scott Detrow, NPR, 18 Oct. 2026
Presley Gerber followed his mom's footsteps into modeling, being signed by IMG Models at 15 years old and walking runway shows for brands including Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of show

Verb

Lee ingratiates himself by pretending to be interested in becoming a CO himself — attracted to the manliness and the glamor.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
In a news release, police said that 25-year-old Baldwin Park resident Juan Carlos Amaya contacted the teenage girl via Snapchat and began talking to her while pretending to be 17 years old.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretending

Noun

Underneath that façade was a sociopathic white supremacist neo-Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.

— Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Starting in 2027, the Plaza Hotel will embark on a four-year-long renovation of its marble façade.

— Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of facade

Verb

Saturday Morning Detention has two comics, Tay Brightman and CJ Marrinan, acting as the teachers to help keep the chaos organized and moderate the games.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
However, at 8 years old, Erin went back to a normal childhood in California and didn’t return to acting for decades.

— Justine Fisher, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of acting

Noun

People went through the admission and security checkpoints without issues, and the event’s early evening acts enjoyed mostly dry stages with light, intermittent rain.

— Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
To assure further compliance, Section 5 of the act required those states to get approval from the Justice Department or a court before making any changes to their electoral systems.

— Jeffrey Toobin, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of act

Verb

Each has the perspective of attending East Side schools, playing football and returning to teach and coach at the high school.

— Tom Strong, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The main reason the Giants have a chance to win every week, though, despite all their injuries and heart-stopping endings, is that Jameis Winston is playing well as their starting quarterback.

— Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of playing

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playacted

playacting

playacts

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“Playacting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playacting. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of playacting

noun

verb

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