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• put-on
  put-on

  noun

  an act or instance of putting someone on.
• put on
  put on

  verb

  to clothe oneself in

put-on

American  

[poot-on, -awn, poot-on, -awn] / ˈpʊtˌɒn, -ˌɔn, ˈpʊtˈɒn, -ˈɔn /

noun

Informal.

1. an act or instance of putting someone on.

2. a prank or pretense, especially one perpetrated or assumed in mock seriousness; hoax; spoof.

3. affected manner or behavior; pretentiousness.

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adjective

1. assumed, feigned, pretended, or disguised.

   a put-on manner that didn't fool anyone.

put on British  

verb

1. to clothe oneself in

   to put on a coat

2. (usually passive) to adopt (an attitude or feeling) insincerely

   his misery was just put on

3. to present or stage (a play, show, etc)

4. to increase or add

   she put on weight

   the batsman put on fifty runs before lunch

5. to cause (an electrical device) to function

6. (also preposition) to wager (money) on a horse race, game, etc

   he put ten pounds on the favourite

7. (also preposition) to impose as a burden or levy

   to put a tax on cars

8. cricket to cause (a bowler) to bowl

9. 1. to connect (a person) by telephone

   2. slang to mock or tease

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noun

1. a hoax or piece of mockery

2. an affected manner or mode of behaviour

put on Idioms  

1. Clothe oneself with, as in I put on my socks . [Mid-1400s]

2. Apply, activate, as in He put on the brakes . [Mid-1700s]

3. Assume affectedly, pretend to, as in He put on a British accent . This idiom is sometimes put as put it on , as in He's not really asleep; he's putting it on . [Late 1600s; late 1800s]

4. put someone on . Tease or mislead another, as in I don't believe you! You're putting me on . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

5. Add to, gain, as in Please put this on our bill , or I've put on some weight .

6. Cause to be performed, produce, as in I hear they're putting on Shakespeare this summer . [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of put-on

1855–60; adj., noun use of verb phrase put ( someone ) on

Example Sentences

Put on notice, Cox did little stop it, they said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

His advice was always the same: Put on a sweater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Put on music that makes the morning feel lit from within.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

She said the NHS had not only saved her life but "gave me life back" adding: "Thanks to them, I got my strength back. Put on some weight. And decided to embrace my new life."

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2024

"Put on your vigs! Put on your gloves! Put on your shoes!"

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl