put on

phrasal verb transitive

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	put on
he/she/it	puts on
present participle	putting on
past tense	put on
past participle	put on

1
to cover a part of your body with a piece of clothing or jewellery so that you are wearing it
Dorothy put on her coat and went out.
Kim had forgotten to put his watch on.
Synonyms and related words
To put on or be wearing clothes and to dress other people
put on
wear
get dressed
2
to spread a cream, liquid, powder, or other substance on your skin or hair in order to make it softer, healthier, or more attractive
Melanie was putting on her makeup in front of the mirror.
Synonyms and related words
Caring for the skin and applying make-up
chemical peel
cleanse
cotton bud
3
to make a machine or piece of equipment start working, especially by pressing a switch
Can you put the light on, please?
Shall I put the kettle on for a cup of tea?
I had forgotten to put the handbrake on, so the car rolled back down the hill.
Synonyms and related words
To make a machine or piece of equipment work
activate
actuate
coax
1. 3a
  to put a video, CD etc in a piece of equipment so that you can watch it or listen to it
  I’m going to put my new CD on.
  Shall we put some music on?
  Synonyms and related words
  To make a machine or piece of equipment work
  activate
  actuate
  coax
4
to organize an event, show, performance etc
We’re putting on a concert to raise money for cancer charities.
Synonyms and related words
To organize an event
organize
prepare
plan
5
to pretend to have a particular feeling or a particular way of speaking or behaving
Stop putting on that funny voice!
be putting it on:
She’s not really upset – she’s just putting it on.
put on an act:
I think he was just putting on an act to get sympathy.
Synonyms and related words
To pretend to do or feel something
pretend
fake
simulate
6
if you put on weight, you become fatter
She put a lot of weight on after the children were born.
I’ve put on 2kg in the last month.
Synonyms and related words
Gaining and losing weight
fat camp
fatten up
fill out
7
to start cooking something
I’ll put the vegetables on in a minute.
Synonyms and related words
Cook food or be cooked
bake
barbecue
baste
8
(put something on someone/something) to cause something to affect someone or something
I feel that too much responsibility is put on teachers.
Advertising aimed at children puts a lot of pressure on parents.
Synonyms and related words
To make something start to exist or happen
bring about
trigger
form
9
(put something on something) Britishto add an amount of money to the cost or value of something
The government is putting 2p on the price of petrol.
Synonyms and related words
Setting, controlling and changing prices and costs
bargain
beat down
bottom out
10
(put something on someone/something) to risk a particular amount of money by trying to guess the result of a race or competition
I put £5 on The Whitkirk Wanderer to win the Grand National.
Synonyms and related words
To gamble money
gamble
bet
stake
11
to pass the telephone to someone so they can speak to the person you have been talking to
Wait a minute, Mum, I’ll put Joe on.
Synonyms and related words
Using a telephone
answer
busy
call
12
to provide a bus, train etc for people to use
They’re going to put on extra buses to take fans to the concert.
Synonyms and related words
Booking on and travelling by transport
aboard
afloat
aisle seat
13
(put someone on something) to say what medical treatment someone should have
I was put on a low-fat diet.
The doctor put him on a course of antibiotics.
Synonyms and related words
The work or job of a doctor or nurse
admit
bedside manner
be on call
14
(put something on something) to record something in an account so that someone can pay for it later
Can you put the drinks on my bill, please?
We put the meal on expenses.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to borrowing money and owing money
borrowing
borrowing powers
call it quits
15
same as put
We put on a fantastic performance against a much more experienced side.
16
(put someone on something) to make someone responsible for dealing with something
I was put on cleaning duties.
Synonyms and related words
To make someone responsible for something
entrust
saddle with
shift
17
mainly Americaninformalto try to make someone believe something that is not true
put someone on:
Don’t believe that. He’s putting you on!
Synonyms and related words
To tell lies and deceive people
misspeak
deceive
make up