1
2
as in show
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in law
a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature
the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public buildings to have wheelchair access
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in thing
something done by someone
it's acts such as this—lying about having to work late—that make me feel like I can't trust you
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to play
to present a portrayal or performance of
a local student acted the part of Tiny Tim in our theater company's production of A Christmas Carol
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2
3
4
5
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to mock
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
someone who is willing to act the helpless little thing when she wants attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of act
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
The blazer-style jacket acts as a stylish layer over blouses, button-up shirts, sweaters, and more.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
Tim Balk, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
The 52-year-old Spanish performer scored her first Oscar nomination on Thursday morning for Best Actress, and secured a place in history in the process as no other openly trans woman has been nominated in the category — or any other acting category — across the Academy Awards' 96-year history.
—EW.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for act 
Noun
This is foreshadowed by a rip-roaring introduction that has the sounds of musical acts spanning generations bleeding into one another in a segment that Questlove says took almost a full year to complete.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
The blazer-style jacket acts as a stylish layer over blouses, button-up shirts, sweaters, and more.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
The agency’s acting director, Ronald L. Rowe, placed several agents on restricted duty.
—Tim Balk, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
The 52-year-old Spanish performer scored her first Oscar nomination on Thursday morning for Best Actress, and secured a place in history in the process as no other openly trans woman has been nominated in the category — or any other acting category — across the Academy Awards' 96-year history.
—EW.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for act
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act
Noun
-
That in turn captured the attention of Don Nelson, who was coaching the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, and Red Holzman, the legendary New York Knicks coach.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
18 Jan. 2025
-
This, in turn, means that Trump will be under steady pressure to solve the ongoing crisis during his first year at the White House.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The winner goes on to the Super Bowl on February 9. Who will perform in the Super Bowl Halftime show?—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
-
During an interview on the Willie D. Live YouTube show Nelly framed his choice as support of the office of President rather than Trump himself.—
Kizzy Cox,
Essence,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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After years of lobbying, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
19 Jan. 2025
-
By Alison Durkee In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that prohibits U.S. app stores from hosting TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, relinquishes ownership.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Always adept at this kind of comedy action thing, Diaz has not missed a beat and does most of her stunts, as does Foxx.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Jan. 2025
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In the grand scheme of things, a game on a field is nothing compared to the task of losing a loved one or rebuilding a life after losing it all.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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One of the greatest of all time to play the position, one of the greatest players of all time.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
The Athletic,
28 Jan. 2025
-
The talk turns gossipy when Peter tells Linda about an early evening call from an occasional hook-up, raising his eyebrows about the guy’s insistence on playing rough trade.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The two worked together to trace the calls and found that a calling card was purchased at a Walmart in Panama City on April 9, 2004, hours before it was used to phone Mount Washington McDonald’s.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
People.com,
19 Jan. 2025
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Behind the scenes: The meeting between Waltz and the families in Washington, DC was organized by Nizar Zaka, CEO of Hostage Aid International, an NGO that assists families of hostages and is working closely with senior Trump administration officials.—
Barak Ravid,
Axios,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
But Lynch, who died last week, at seventy-eight, made films in which every cheerful surface seemed to obscure an eerie reality.—
Joshua Rothman,
The New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2025
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The appearance of this boundary varies around the planet, with some areas seeming to link the lowlands directly to the highlands, while others contain sharp cliffs.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Campbell’s Lions are favored by 9.5 points and experience could serve Goff and his teammates well.—
Mike Jones,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
-
If the first court convicts him and issues a prison term, Yoon would serve that sentence as the case possibly moves up to the Seoul High Court and Supreme Court.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near act
Cite this Entry
“Act.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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