: the art or practice of representing a character on a stage or before cameras
1
: holding a temporary rank or position : performing services temporarily
acting president
2
a
: suitable for stage performance
an acting play
b
: prepared with directions for actors
an acting text of a play
Synonyms
Examples of acting in a Sentence
Noun
Her acting is unusually good in this film.
a new style of acting
Adjective
The college's acting president will be replaced with a permanent one next fall.
will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024
The legal rationales for acting, meanwhile, stand as precedents to justify the United States’ future military operations—and those of other countries around the world.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for acting 
Noun
His acting résumé included the films Parrish (1961), starring Claudette Colbert and Karl Malden; Benji (1974), written and directed by Joe Camp; and Foxy Brown (1974), starring Pam Grier.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024
The legal rationales for acting, meanwhile, stand as precedents to justify the United States’ future military operations—and those of other countries around the world.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for acting
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near acting
Cite this Entry
“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acting. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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