Definitions, Meanings, Synonyms, Examples and Famous Quotes of act in English

act

• 1.

  Take action; do something.

  "They urged Washington to act"

  Synonyms (16)

  Take action Take steps Take measures Take the initiative Move Make a move React Do something Proceed Go ahead Make progress Make headway Be active Be employed Be busy Get moving
• 2.

  Behave in the way specified.

  "They followed the man who was seen acting suspiciously"

  Synonyms (9)

  Behave Function React Perform Conduct oneself Acquit oneself Bear oneself Comport oneself Deport oneself
• 3.

  Take effect; have a particular effect.

  "Blood samples are analyzed to find out how the drug acts in the body"

  Synonyms (13)

  Affect Have an effect on Influence Exert influence on Work on Have an impact on Impact on Alter Change Modify Transform Condition Control
• 4.

  Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.

  "She acted in her first professional role at the age of six"

  Synonyms (9)

  Perform Play Play a part Take part Be an actor Be an actress Be one of the cast Appear Tread the boards
• 5.

  To behave in the stated way

  "Don't be so silly - you're acting like a child!"

• 6.

  Pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind

  "He acted the idiot"

  Synonyms (2)

  Act as Play

  Type of (2)

  Do Behave
• 7.

  Behave unnaturally or affectedly

  "She's just acting"

  Synonyms (2)

  Dissemble Pretend

  Has types (4)

  Feign Assume Sham Simulate
• 8.

  Perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

  "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"

  Synonyms (1)

  Move

  Antonyms (1)

  Refrain

  Has types (146)

  Satisfice Proceed Prosecute Woo Wind up Wait Volunteer Use Try Toy Take turns Take time by the forelock Take part Take over Take care Take Surprise Stoop Step up Step to the fore Step forward Start Stampede Solicit Sneak Set about Seek Satisfise Rush Romance Reward Respond Repeat Repay Reciprocate React Rampage Race Queen it over Acquit Put on airs Act on Act superior Aggress Alternate Antagonise Antagonize Anticipate Approach Assay Attack Attempt Bear Begin Pursue Behave Carry Coact Come close Come forward Come out Come to the fore Commit Comport Condescend Conduct Contend Continue Cope Counter Counteract Court Create Dally Dare Deal Deign Deport Descend Dispatch Disturb Pull Do well Effect Egotrip End up Engage Essay Evade Exert Festinate Fetch up Finish Finish up Flirt Force Foresee Forestall Go on Grapple Guard Had best Hasten Hold back Hold off Hurry Interact Interrupt Keep Land up Look sharp Lord it over Lower oneself Make a point Make bold Make do Make out Make sure Manage Maneuver Manoeuver Manoeuvre Misbehave Misconduct Misdemean Move Offer Oppose Participate Partner Pay back Perform Perpetrate Persist in Play Play it by ear Plow ahead Presume Get around to Get by Go Go about Go ahead Go along Go off at half-cock Go off half-cocked

  Derivation (1)

  Action
• 9.

  Perform on a stage or theater

  "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"

  Synonyms (3)

  Play Playact Roleplay

  Type of (1)

  Perform

  Has types (9)

  Underplay Stooge Ham Ham it up Pantomime Overact Overplay Mime Underact

  Categories (5)

  Dramaturgy Dramatics Dramatic art Theatre Theater

  Derivation (3)

  Acting Actable Actor
• 10.

  Have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected

  "The breaks of my new car act quickly"

  Synonyms (1)

  Work

  Type of (5)

  Come through Win Bring home the bacon Succeed Deliver the goods
• 11.

  Behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

  "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"

  Synonyms (2)

  Behave Do

  Has types (50)

  Play Make Lose it Loosen up Act as Act involuntarily Joke Jest Act reflexively Storm Presume Stooge Trifle Toy Vulgarize Backslap Snap Bend over backwards Bluster Break down Bungle Sentimentize Sentimentise Sentimentalize Sentimentalise Sauce Dally Romanticize Dawdle Vulgarise Puff up Piffle Wanton Hugger mugger Frivol Relax Optimize Fall over backwards Swell Swash Follow Footle Optimise Menace Freeze Swagger Ramp Rage Quack Make as if
• 12.

  Play a role or part

  "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"

  Synonyms (2)

  Play Represent

  Type of (1)

  Re-create

  Has types (11)

  Reenact Support Portray Pretend Enact Emote Impersonate Parody Act out Make Make believe

  Categories (1)

  Performing arts

  Derivation (3)

  Actable Acting Actor
• 13.

  Be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure

  Has types (3)

  Walk around Drive around Play

  Derivation (1)

  Action
• 14.

  Be suitable for theatrical performance

  "This scene acts well"

  Type of (1)

  Be

  Derivation (2)

  Acting Actable
• 15.

  Discharge one's duties

  "In what capacity are you acting?"

  Type of (1)

  Serve

  Has types (3)

  Criticise Criticize Bank

  Derivation (1)

  Actor

• 1.

  A thing done; a deed.

  "A criminal act"

  Synonyms (16)

  Deed Action Gesture Feat Exploit Move Performance Undertaking Maneuver Stunt Operation Venture Effort Enterprise Achievement Accomplishment
• 2.

  A pretense.

  "She was putting on an act and laughing a lot"

  Synonyms (30)

  Pretense False display Show Front Facade Masquerade Charade Guise Posture Pose Affectation Appearance Sham Fake Bluff Hoax Make-believe Playacting Feigning Shamming Posturing Posing Counterfeit Subterfuge Dissimulation Dissemblance Fabrication Falsification A put-on A put-up job
• 3.

  A written ordinance of Congress, or another legislative body; a statute.

  "The act to abolish slavery"

  Synonyms (27)

  Law Decree Statute Bill Act of Parliament Edict Fiat Dictum Dictate Enactment Resolution Ruling Rule Judgment Canon Ordinance Proclamation Command Commandment Mandate Measure Stipulation Direction Requirement Legislation Ukase Pronunciamento
• 4.

  A main division of a play, ballet, or opera.

  "The first act"

  Synonyms (11)

  Division Section Subsection Portion Part Segment Component Bit Passage Episode Chapter
• 5.

  Something that people do or cause to happen

  Synonyms (3)

  Deed Human action Human activity

  Type of (1)

  Event

  Has types (75)

  Touch Stoppage Stop Stay Speech act Sacrifice Running away Retrieval Residency Residence Rejection Recovery Propulsion Promulgation Production Proclamation Permissive waste Obstetrical delivery Nonachievement Nonaccomplishment Motivation Motivating Mitzvah Mitsvah Leveling Legitimation Leaving Leaning Judgment Judgement Interference Inactivity Implementation Hire Hindrance Hinderance Group action Going away Going Getting Forfeiture Forfeit Find Exhumation Equalization Equalisation Emergence Egression Egress Effectuation Distribution Disposition Disposal Disinterment Discovery Digging up Derivation Departure Delivery Communication Communicating Causing Causation Assumption Assessment Actuation Activity Action Acquiring Abidance Wearing Wear Waste Uncovering Touching

  Derivation (1)

  Actuate
• 6.

  A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body

  Synonyms (1)

  Enactment

  Type of (4)

  Official document Legal instrument Instrument Legal document

  Has types (8)

  Order Nullity Fiat Rescript Legislative act Edict Decree Statute

  Categories (2)

  Law Jurisprudence
• 7.

  A short performance that is part of a longer program

  "He did his act three times every evening"

  Synonyms (4)

  Bit Number Routine Turn

  Type of (2)

  Performance Public presentation

  Has types (3)

  Stopper Showstopper Show-stopper
• 8.

  A manifestation of insincerity

  "He put on quite an act for her benefit"

  Type of (4)

  Manifestation Reflexion Expression Reflection
• 9.

  A subdivision of a play or opera or ballet

  Type of (2)

  Dramatic composition Dramatic work

  Part of (6)

  Play Drama Opera Dramatic play Concert dance Ballet

• 1.

  American College Test.

• 2.

  Australian Capital Territory.

act in a sentence | act example sentences

Quotes and Sayings about "act"

1.

"For me, the act of photography is all about discovery and finding new things."

--- Alec Soth

2.

"We know we can't stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world, but maybe we could try to stop one act of evil, one act of violence."

--- Barack Obama

3.

"Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak."

--- Sathya Sai Baba

4.

"When people try to stop free speech, stop people from talking, it creates pressure in the system that might cause people to act out."

--- John S. Dickerson

5.

"You can be as you choose to be. It's an act of discipline sometimes, but it can be done."

--- Kevin Costner