: the art or practice of representing a character on a stage or before cameras
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
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
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Not since John Cazale made The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978) in sequence has a five-year stretch of acting been quite so bracing.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Leanne Kao, a city engineer and acting project manager, gave an update on plans to upgrade Dusty Rhodes Park, just south of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard from Robb Field.
—Steven Mihailovich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acting
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Noun
Because neither Kennedy nor Jim O’Neill, the CDC’s acting director, has yet signed off on ACIP’s new recommendations for COVID vaccines, states haven’t been able to order the shots through the Vaccines for Children program.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Not since John Cazale made The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978) in sequence has a five-year stretch of acting been quite so bracing.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Jenny Lewis, in her final acting role, who somehow survives with her dignity intact.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Leanne Kao, a city engineer and acting project manager, gave an update on plans to upgrade Dusty Rhodes Park, just south of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard from Robb Field.
—Steven Mihailovich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acting
Cite this Entry
“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acting. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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