[put] on an act
1
to talk or behave in a way that is fake
The idiom "put on an act" originated from the world of theater, where actors would wear costumes and assume roles to portray fictional characters on stage. The phrase signifies the deliberate act of pretending or feigning a particular behavior, emotion, or persona to deceive or manipulate others and is commonly used to describe situations where someone intentionally behaves in a manner inconsistent with their genuine feelings or intentions, often for the purpose of gaining an advantage or masking their true motives.
- She put on an act of being upset to manipulate her friend into doing her a favor.
- The suspect put on an act of innocence during the interrogation, hoping to convince the police of his noninvolvement.
- The salesperson put on an act of enthusiasm, trying to convince the customer to buy the product.
- He put on an act of being confident during the job interview, even though he was nervous inside.
- The child put on an act of being scared to avoid doing a task, but everyone knew it was just a ploy.