PUTTING ON Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

putting on

verb

present participle of put on

as in throwing (on)

to place on one's person I put on a coat and shoes to go outside

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exaggerating

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pretending

to present a false appearance of put on a show of anger just for fun

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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 putting on Perfect for suiting up and putting on ski or hiking boots, the cushioned seat flips over and doubles as a worktop, serving as an extension of the rear garage and/or the compact kitchen block. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 Put into bat, Hope gave West Indies a flying by putting on 52 off 26 balls with Jewel Andrew (21). — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The Empress is putting on her royal dress for the final time. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 Virojt Changyencham/Getty Images Between today's issues with high inflation, elevated interest rates and increasing consumer goods costs, a lot of Americans are feeling the strain that this economic environment is putting on their budgets. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Host a Stunning Harvest-Themed Meal Autumn ushers in the season of hosting, and Martha is reigning queen of putting on a good time. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026 This museum inside a Renaissance palazzo in the heart of Florence has been putting on one blockbuster exhibition after another. — Laura Itzkowitz, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 The Hall of Fame itself rejigged itself, putting on something of a Federer-fest with an atmosphere to match. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 But the very act of putting on a wearable—of willingly adorning oneself with a tiny computerized narc—is an act of surrender. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for putting on

Verb

Julianna Sellers joined the protest in an inflatable axolotl (endangered salamander) suit, inspired by Portland Protestors donning silly costumes while protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this year.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Skarsgård had a certain someone in mind while donning the wicker for Wicker.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of donning

Verb

But to imply that a world-class athlete is exaggerating an injury to preserve his reputation is a staggering lapse in judgment.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
South Korea’s military, which often accuses the North of exaggerating its military technologies, did not immediately comment on KCNA’s report.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of exaggerating

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

Verb

Researchers estimated in 2017 that simulating the ground-state energy of FeMoco, an iron-sulfur cluster involved in biological nitrogen fixation, would require roughly 50 trillion Toffoli gates.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Simulating an investment banker’s work is fundamentally different from simulating a software engineer’s work, CEO Jerry Wu tells Fortune.

— Wen Shao, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of simulating

Verb

Check your insurance terms directly rather than assuming elective treatment or related complications are covered.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
However, other analysts have expressed concerns about assuming that take-or-pay legal structures are iron-clad and about equating backlogs with revenue.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026