actor

noun

ac·​tor ˈak-tər 

also -ˌtȯr

1

: one that acts : doer

2

a

: one who acts in a play, movie, television show, etc.

b

: one who behaves as if acting a part

3

: one that takes part in any affair : participant

political actors

actorish

ˈak-tə-rish 

adjective

actorly

ˈak-tər-lē 

adjective

Synonyms of actor

• actress
• performer
• entertainer
• thespian

Examples of actor in a Sentence

my sister went to drama school to become an actor

Benjamin Franklin was a major actor in many of the events leading up to the founding of our nation.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2026, the question is whether corporate actors will come out of a meeting centered on dialogue and make note of the signals that came from many of these talks. —Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026

During filming, the actors worked their way through the story, shooting 12 hours a day and constantly reassessing the fate of their characters. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026

The entry-level model, priced at $3,300, has become a favorite among young actors, including Christopher Briney and Pope Heyward. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026

During a recent appearance on Good Hang podcast, Poehler asked the 35-year-old actor about her relationship with her clothes. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English actour "doer, pleader," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin āctor, from agere "to drive (cattle), cause to move, do" + -tor, agent suffix — more at agent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing actor

• bad actor
• character actor
• co-actor

Rhymes for actor

• acter
• factor
• tractor
• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor

Kids Definition

actor

noun

ac·​tor ˈak-tər 

: one that acts

especially : a person who acts especially in a play or movie or on television