as in to pose
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples 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 playact
Today, Margaret would be playacting her own massacre in active shooter drills at school.
—
Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 1 May 2023
Trump’s modus, as ever, was to playact; his game has always been improv.
—Joe Klein, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2023
Trixie advises Alma to playact highness to flummox E.B.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2021
Today, this dynamic lives on in the form of Roblox strip clubs, where young people — mostly, minors — playact at adult sexuality.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2021
The world had first required her to playact as a man.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
Yona has it better than the locals who have agreed to playact, and likely die, in Mui’s fake new disaster.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2020
In a twist, The Sims is now a way to playact not just an alternate life, but any life at all.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2020
One of the funniest answers to this question comes from the comedian Conner O’Malley, who has built a career playacting the way consumerism warps our spirits.
—Sam Anderson, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2020
Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 1 May 2023
Trump’s modus, as ever, was to playact; his game has always been improv.
—Joe Klein, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2023
Trixie advises Alma to playact highness to flummox E.B.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2021
Today, this dynamic lives on in the form of Roblox strip clubs, where young people — mostly, minors — playact at adult sexuality.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2021
The world had first required her to playact as a man.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
Yona has it better than the locals who have agreed to playact, and likely die, in Mui’s fake new disaster.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2020
In a twist, The Sims is now a way to playact not just an alternate life, but any life at all.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2020
One of the funniest answers to this question comes from the comedian Conner O’Malley, who has built a career playacting the way consumerism warps our spirits.
—Sam Anderson, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playact
Verb
-
The source noted the government has various strategies that can be deployed if a drone poses an imminent threat, but so far, the mysterious flights have not been deemed threatening.Zoe Sottile, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
-
Rugged terrain continues to pose a challenge for fire crews trying to access steep mountainous areas.Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
One extension, masquerading as an official Zoom integration, seemed legitimate, boasting numerous installs and positive reviews.Lars Daniel, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
-
The chart data comes from the best possible source — our colleagues at Billboard and Luminate, with details below the chart — but the other decisions are ours, based on research, conversations and arguments masquerading as conversations.Jem Aswad, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
It was recently revealed that deepfake technology allowed a hostile actor to impersonate a top Ukrainian security official during a video call with a U.S. senator.Bernard Marr, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Earlier this year, WIRED published a fascinating investigation into the world of gig workers who get paid to impersonate top-earning OnlyFans creators in online chats with their fans.Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Grenell, former acting Director of National Intelligence, was earlier mentioned as a possible Ukraine war envoy.Trevor Hunnicutt and Steve Holland, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Taganrog is one of the main cities in the southern Rostov region, and its acting governor Yuri Slyusar said that a missile attack damaged an industrial enterprise and cars in its parking lot, without providing further details.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Vincent Trocheck stressed the need to play tighter and have short memories on the ice.Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
-
In an earlier episode, the family’s patriarch, John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, was murdered.Lisa Respers France, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Putin’s constant lies and dissembling undermined his credibility to international interlocutors, such as President Emmanuel Macron of France.Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2022
-
Pushing back on reporters, at the time Scher often dissembled and appeared to brush aside concerns about what was clearly an increasingly out-of-control situation.Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 19 July 2024
Verb
-
Hospitalized as a result of the beating, Elwood gets a surprise visit from Turner, who’s also a patient (having skillfully feigned illness).Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2024
-
Listen to this article Loading your audio article Four men are under arrest in Southern California after one of them donned a bear costume to feign damage to high-end cars in an insurance scam, the state Department of Insurance said.Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near playact
Cite this Entry
“Playact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playact. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share