acting

1 of 2

noun

act·​ing ˈak-tiŋ How to pronounce acting (audio)
Synonyms of actingnext
: the art or practice of representing a character on a stage or before cameras

acting

2 of 2

adjective

1
: holding a temporary rank or position : performing services temporarily
acting president
2
a
: suitable for stage performance
an acting play
b
: prepared with directions for actors
an acting text of a play

Synonyms of acting

Examples of acting in a Sentence

Noun Her acting is unusually good in this film. a new style of acting Adjective The college's acting president will be replaced with a permanent one next fall. will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Ha Nguyen McNeill, the TSA acting administrator, told lawmakers at a hearing on Wednesday that absences are as high as 40% in some airports and more than 480 TSA officers have quit during the shutdown. Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026 But while Maduro's ruling party remains in power, he has slowly been erased from the government of Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting president. Arkansas Online, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Miley Cyrus also reflected on her bond with Osment on the series, which was her first big acting role. Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026 Failure to do so, acting FTA executive director Jamie Pfister warns in the directive, could lead the feds to require IDOT to use federal funds to correct safety problems. Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acting

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from gerund of act entry 2

Adjective

from present participle of act entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acting was in 1590

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Cite this Entry

“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acting. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

acting

adjective
act·​ing
ˈak-tiŋ
: serving temporarily or in place of another
acting president

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