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as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the mystery writer displays a sure hand in managing the novel's complicated but never incoherent action

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in lawsuit
a court case for enforcing a right or claim filed an action in county court to recover his lawn mower from his neighbor, who claims he "gave" it to her

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war the battalion saw action soon after it arrived in France

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of action Watching the cinematic action through the eyes of a monster has obviously been done before in movies. David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025 Ford adds he’s filed some version of the bill every year since 2015 and nothing about his actions are motivated by Johnson’s current struggles with voters, including a November Change Research poll that found 70% of them now have an unfavorable opinion of him. Glenn Minnis | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Jan. 2025 Despite the Hall of Fame rules against considering off-the-field actions, the very fact that the senior committee made Tyrer a finalist for the first time since 1981 certainly reflects a prevailing wave of understanding of the horrors of CTE. Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2025 Firefly Bulk Create is powered by Adobe Firefly Services, a set of APIs for generative AI tasks such as resizing assets, or swapping backgrounds, and applying the changes to thousands of pieces of content with one action. Joan Verdon, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for action 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for action
Noun
  • Those are the kinds of things that make (Trenin) a difficult player to play against.
    Joe Smith, The Athletic, 30 Jan. 2025
  • And don’t forget, our main character is very flawed and has done a bunch of things in the past that were not so cool to Scott’s character.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In at least one case, the U.S. intelligence helped thwart an IS plot to attack a religious shrine outside Damascus earlier this month, according to the officials.
    Warren P. Strobel, arkansasonline.com, 26 Jan. 2025
  • In the 1970s, Lowery and his wife bought a 21-acre plot surrounded by Anson County farmland 60 miles south of Charlotte.
    Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The move to give Musk’s DOGE access to sensitive information drew a lawsuit Monday from two major federal employee unions claiming that the Trump Administration breached the Privacy Act of 1974.
    Nik Popli, TIME, 4 Feb. 2025
  • The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, argues that Musk's team is using the system in violation of multiple privacy laws, including 1974's Privacy Act, and other regulations that dictate who is authorized to access the network.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Sabonis is averaging a career-high 20.9 points, a career-high 14.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 61% from the field and 48.1% from 3-point range.
    Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025
  • With Bini having put himself out to pasture, the field and the future feel abstract.
    Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Part of his behavior plan includes exiting the classroom before a conflict escalates, school staff said in a police report.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that socially contagious behavior is hardwired in the brain.
    Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Defense Ministry statement didn't mention Trump's ambitions.
    Bradford Betz, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
  • The findings suggest that while financial stability is attractive, other factors—like ambition and creativity—are just as, if not more, desirable.
    Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Much like the 2024 incarnation of the Outlaw Festival Tour, Dylan and Nelson are the only acts to appear on every bill.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Despite some inevitable inaccuracies and omissions, the memoir remains the best portrait of Mahler in print—an act of complex, intense devotion.
    Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.
    Jeffrey R. Wilson, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Ava DuVernay on the 'Dark Void' She Felt After Father's Death and How That Influenced Origin (Exclusive) Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Tommy McArdle, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near action

Cite this Entry

“Action.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/action. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

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