Synonyms of acting

acting 1 of 3

adjective

as in interim

serving in a position for the time being

will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interim
• temporary
• provisional
• proxy
• ad interim
• alternate
• makeshift
• backup
• substitute
• provisionary
• provisory
• stopgap
• make-do
• jackleg

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permanent
• long-term

acting

2 of 3

noun

as in theatre

Synonyms & Similar Words

• theatre
• entertainment
• footlights
• boards
• drama
• production
• show business
• theater
• showbiz
• dramatics
• amusement
• stage
• presentation
• theatricals
• theatrics
• diversion
• spectacle
• recreation
• show
• exhibition
• pageant
• distraction
• pageantry

acting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of act

1

as in playing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• playing
• performing
• portraying
• interpreting
• doing
• depicting
• impersonating
• representing
• enacting
• dramatizing
• rendering
• pantomiming
• overacting
• playacting
• imitating
• role-playing
• miming
• mimicking
• acting out
• underplaying
• masquerading
• overplaying
• clowning
• hamming
• aping
• taking on
• posing (as)
• roleplaying
• coacting
• co-acting
• costarring
• starring (in)
• co-starring

2

as in working

to produce a desired effect

the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• working
• performing
• operating
• reacting
• taking
• responding
• behaving
• taking effect
• resulting
• affecting
• taking hold
• influencing
• swaying
• redounding
• panning out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• backfiring
• fizzling

3

as in seeming

to give the impression of being

always acting helpless, just to get attention

Synonyms & Similar Words

• seeming
• looking
• feeling
• sounding
• appearing
• making
• pretending
• coming off (as)
• coming across (as)
• resembling
• implying
• suggesting
• recalling
• dissembling
• hinting
• insinuating

4

as in serving

to have a certain purpose

the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects

Synonyms & Similar Words

• serving
• functioning
• working
• performing
• operating
• controlling
• directing
• managing
• regulating
• handling
• guiding
• running
• supervising
• administering
• carrying on
• overseeing

5

as in pretending

to present a false appearance of

if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pretending
• simulating
• assuming
• affecting
• feigning
• passing (for)
• professing
• faking
• dissembling
• bluffing
• posing
• shamming
• playing
• forging
• counterfeiting
• concealing
• imitating
• putting on
• masquerading
• making believe
• impersonating
• masking
• camouflaging
• disguising
• playacting
• dissimulating
• letting on
• malingering
• feinting

6

as in mocking

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

• playing
• mocking
• imitating
• portraying
• impersonating
• personating
• posing (as)
• masquerading (as)
• miming
• mimicking
• copying
• parodying
• performing
• aping
• monkeying
• travestying

Examples of acting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Cox was notably the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Emmy for Orange is the New Black at the time. —Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Sep. 2024

The acting Emmy that had long eluded the show was well-deserved, as many critics praised Foster for her three-dimensional take on a character that had little in common with the kinds of TV cops viewers were used to seeing. —Vincent Perella, IndieWire, 15 Sep. 2024

Noun

Many famous Black British artists such as Daniel Kaluuya and Stormzy thank youth clubs and community arts programs for giving them their start in music and acting. —L'oréal Blackett, refinery29.com, 2 Oct. 2024

Despite the controversies, Grande remains popular as her fans have continued to support her talent in music and acting. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024