act on/upon
phrasal verb
acted on/upon; acting on/upon; acts on/upon
: to use (something, such as a feeling or suggestion) as a reason or basis for doing something
They never acted on the information they had.
It's okay to feel angry or jealous, but you mustn't act on those feelings.
Examples of act on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The same man who once earnestly referred to himself as a prophet is now paralyzed by his inability to either have or act on any firm conviction; the veneer of his certainty in his own power has been stripped away.
—
Iva Dixit, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
Trichologist Anabel Kingsley adds that each will act on the follicle and growth phases in different ways.
—Neha Tandon, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2023
The agency’s administrator, Herman Andaya, also did not act on recommendations by residents and others that the county broaden its outdoor warning sirens to include wildfires.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023
That’s the second-most appearances of any act on the chart; a leading six Taylor Swift songs infuse the first survey.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 14 Sep. 2023
After the settlement, two Fox Corp. shareholders sued board members in April for failing to act on risks of defamation litigation and damaging the company’s reputation — arguments similar to those made by the New York funds.
—Katie Robertson, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
As more people die from Republican supermajorities’ refusal to act on guns or climate, the deferential ‘political question’ doctrine begins to look foolish.
—Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2023
People who are sick, hungry or unsafe will not have the privilege to act on climate change.
—Katie Weeman, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2023
Mechanism of action: Fladrafinil works by increasing levels of dopamine and histamine in the brain, while Hydrafinil is believed to act on the cholinergic system to increase brain acetyl-choline levels.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Aug. 2023
See More
Iva Dixit, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
Trichologist Anabel Kingsley adds that each will act on the follicle and growth phases in different ways.
—Neha Tandon, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2023
The agency’s administrator, Herman Andaya, also did not act on recommendations by residents and others that the county broaden its outdoor warning sirens to include wildfires.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023
That’s the second-most appearances of any act on the chart; a leading six Taylor Swift songs infuse the first survey.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 14 Sep. 2023
After the settlement, two Fox Corp. shareholders sued board members in April for failing to act on risks of defamation litigation and damaging the company’s reputation — arguments similar to those made by the New York funds.
—Katie Robertson, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
As more people die from Republican supermajorities’ refusal to act on guns or climate, the deferential ‘political question’ doctrine begins to look foolish.
—Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2023
People who are sick, hungry or unsafe will not have the privilege to act on climate change.
—Katie Weeman, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2023
Mechanism of action: Fladrafinil works by increasing levels of dopamine and histamine in the brain, while Hydrafinil is believed to act on the cholinergic system to increase brain acetyl-choline levels.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'act on/upon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near act on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Act on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/act%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share