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Glite Dictionary
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to put on

to put on

679 1.0
To dress yourself in clothes or wear things like makeup
  • phrasal verb
  • /pʊt ɑn/
translation icon : ponerse
  • I have to put on a necktie and a coat.
  • put on clothes
  • put on socks

I used it today to put on my my bronzer.

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Examples

  • Just put on your oxygen mask.

    Mission: Impossible II (2000)

  • The sailor gets up from the bed and begins putting on his clothes.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Oh it's so nice to put on makeup and see clearly.

  • Okay, I'm gonna go put my shoes back on.

    Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)

  • "Thanks, mother." "I'm going to be late," she said as she put on her shoes.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I took a quick shower and put on my one fancy black dress with a pearl necklace.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I dressed slowly, taking time to put on makeup and to style my hair with a little gel.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I'm going to put on some lip oil from Hourglass.

  • The old man helps the boy put on a pair of padded leather mitts.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Before leaving the house, I always put on my favorite jacket.

Synonyms

to dress
vsto put on
∞ 1.0

To put clothes on yourself or someone else

is the general act of dressing or covering the body, including substances
to apply
vsto put on
263 1.3

Put a substance onto a surface to cover it

focuses specifically on body coverings as well as clothing, unlike general coating
to get dressed
vsto put on
253 1.0

To put on clothes

includes both clothing and covering the body with substances like lotion
to dress up
vsto put on
178 2.7

Put on special clothes for an event or to look attractive

is the neutral act of dressing or covering, not limited to special wear
to get into
vsto put on
82 2.6

To put on a piece of clothing

covers that action but also means dressing more broadly or applying substances
to make up
vsto put on
79 2.6

Put makeup on your face to change how you look

is a wider notion that also includes clothing and other body coverings
to dress as
vsto put on
61 3.5

Put on a costume to look like someone or something else

is broader, covering dressing or applying substances without aiming to impersonate
to suit up
vsto put on
  • Informal
38 4.0

Put on formal clothes or a uniform for an event

is used for any dressing or body covering, not only formal occasions
to don
vsto put on
  • Formal
38 6.8

To put on clothes

means dressing in general or covering with substances rather than one item
to get changed
vsto put on
28 2.0

To put on different clothes for a certain activity

covers putting on clothes but does not require changing from previous clothes
to slip on
vsto put on
6 1.9

To put clothes or shoes on quickly and easily

is the broader act of dressing or covering regardless of speed or ease

Antonyms

to undress
  • NSFW
88 2.0

To take off clothes from yourself or another person

How Dressed

to bundle up
5 2.4
to dress
∞ 1.0
to put on
679 1.0
to slip on
6 1.9

Surface Forms

put on infinitive
put on past
put on past participle
putting on present participle
puts on third person singular

Morphology

put + on

The basic sense 'to dress oneself' is directly derivable from combining 'put' (place) with 'on' (onto the body) and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both words. However, extended senses like 'put on a show' (to stage/present) or idiomatic uses (e.g. 'put on' meaning to pretend) involve metaphorical extension and phrasal-verb idiosyncrasy that are not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb put on comes from the simple action of placing clothes or makeup onto your body. You put the item on yourself, so it means 'to dress' or 'to cover' part of the body.