acting 1 of 3

Definition of actingnext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

acting

2 of 3

noun

acting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of act
1
2
3
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

5
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

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 acting
Adjective
At the time, acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez attributed the changes to technical issues. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 PinkPantheress has locked in her first-ever acting role in a movie. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
Noun
Artists tracked Gosling’s on-set performance and recreated it within digital environments, allowing Fraser to choose new camera positions without discarding the original acting. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 That might seem a bit stressful for someone who’s juggling a new album, a global tour and his upcoming acting debut in Lena Dunham‘s Good Sex. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
In the time of Old English (5th to 11th centuries), acting according to one’s rank and station was simply expected. — Valerie Fridland, Time, 26 Oct. 2026 Koenig first studied acting at New York’s legendary Neighborhood Playhouse, alongside James Caan and Christopher Lloyd. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting
Adjective
  • Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • During a March City Council meeting, interim Police Chief Douglas Brinkley said Independence officers conducted 541 pursuits in 2025, compared with 137 by Kansas City police, The Kansas City Star reported.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The partnership aims to create quality animation and family entertainment that will be launched on direct-to-audience platforms.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Yes; multiple dining options, casual entertainment, plenty of room to spread out, and easy transportation make this one of the easiest choices in Denali for kids.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Antetokounmpo totaled 10 points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 shooting from the foul line, two rebounds, one assist and one steal while playing only 11 minutes in Saturday’s first half.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The practice involves writing down your intrusive thoughts and fears, and even recording yourself talking about them, and playing that recording back to yourself.
    — Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Each time a shutter fires, and each time a tire squeals, involves countless pieces working together to deliver a smooth outcome.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Linn County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges, but the church barred Moore from working with children, youth and vulnerable adults.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In this book, ordinary-seeming women unmask themselves as grotesquely evil witches.
    — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The simple-seeming request turned into an arduous task that would require scores of emails, multiple phone calls with Epic employees, a flight to Las Vegas, and a software update.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Even Blair herself has been rejected by a bank for serving as OnlyFans’ CEO.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Imprisoned since 2004 and serving a life sentence, Buchanan was accused of directing drug sales, extortion, gambling and violence across San Diego County and beyond.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Smart did not enter pleas to charges of being armed, or pretending to be armed, in a way that may cause fear and with making an unlawful threat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Lee uses this to his advantage, pretending to be a pidgin-speaking Chinese immigrant to protect himself from white people’s suspicion and mistrust.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There were earlier versions of this story that were openly mocking of Kip, versions that threw Leo under the bus for being too sly; versions that were too overtly political; versions with ghosts that didn’t need to be there, and so on.
    — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Reels captured everything from dancing and DJ parties at protest sites to songs mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on acting

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster