playact

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitivedisapproving

   To behave in a pretended or exaggerated manner, as if performing a role, often to impress or deceive others.

   Grammar: Usually no object: he was just playacting. Often used with 'as if'.

   Patterns

   • playact as if something
   • playact for someone

   He wasn't really angry, just playacting for the audience.

   Stop playacting and tell me what really happened.

   She playacted the part of a worried parent so well that nobody doubted her.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   To act out a scene or story, especially children pretending to be characters in a game.

   Grammar: Can take an object: they playacted a trial in the classroom.

   Patterns

   • playact a scene

   The children playacted a pirate battle on the playground.

   In the workshop, the staff playacted difficult customer calls to practice.

   As a child, she would playact being a doctor with her dolls.

Word forms

Common combinations

just playacting

I'm not upset, I'm just playacting.

stop playacting

Stop playacting and be honest with us.

playact for the cameras

The politicians playacted for the cameras during the visit.

playact a scene

The students playacted a scene from the trial.

Synonyms and how they differ

pretend

Pretend is the everyday word, while playact suggests a more theatrical or exaggerated performance.

put on an act

Put on an act is informal and nearly always critical, whereas playact can also describe children's games.

role-play

Role-play is a deliberate exercise in training or therapy, while playact may be spontaneous and insincere.

Opposites

Word family

playacting noun

pretending or acting in an exaggerated way

play verb

to take part in a game or act a role

act verb

to perform or behave

playactor noun

a person who plays at being something

Commonly confused: playact or act up?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “playact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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