action

noun

ac·​tion ˈak-shən 

plural actions

1

a

: a thing done : deed

b

: the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition

c

actions plural : behavior, conduct

unscrupulous actions

d

: initiative, enterprise

a man of action

2

: an act of will

an emergency requiring action

3

: the bringing about of an alteration by force or through a natural agency

the action of water on rocks

4

: the manner or method of performing:

a

: an actor's or speaker's deportment or expression by means of attitude, voice, and gesture

An actor's words and actions should agree.

b

: the style of movement of the feet and legs (as of a horse)

c

: a function of the body or one of its parts

5

: the initiating of a proceeding in a court of justice by which one demands or enforces one's right

also : the proceeding itself

6

a(1)

: an engagement between troops or ships

(2)

: combat in war

gallantry in action

b(1)

: an event or series of events forming a literary composition

Most of the play's action takes place in a courtroom.

(2)

: the unfolding of the events of a drama or work of fiction : plot

As the action unfolds, we learn more about the hero's family.

(3)

: the movement of incidents in a plot

a movie that is two hours of nonstop action

c

: the combination of circumstances that constitute the subject matter of a painting or sculpture

7

a

: an operating mechanism

b

: the manner in which a mechanism or instrument operates

a drill's twisting action

c

: the degree of resistance of a musical instrument to being played

Next in consideration is the "action" of the guitar, which from the standpoint of playability, is of utmost importance.

—Aaron Shearer

especially : the response or resistance of keys in a keyboard-operated instrument to the player's or operator's fingers

I went to the piano and played but had great difficulty … because the piano had such stiff action.

—Horace Silver

8

a

: the price movement and trading volume of a commodity, security, or market

b

: the process of betting including the offering and acceptance of a bet and determination of a winner

c

: financial gain or an opportunity for financial gain

a piece of the action

9

: sexual activity

10

: the most vigorous, productive, or exciting activity in a particular field, area, or group

wants to be where the action is

11

—used as a director's command to start filming part of a movie or television show

Lights, camera, action!

12

: spin or rotation given to a ball or puck by throwing or hitting it in a particular way

If I am hitting into the wind on the 7th at Pebble Beach, … rather than taking an eight or a nine [iron] and hitting it hard, I'll choose a little eight or even a seven and almost chip the ball, putting as little action on it as possible so it lands softly and doesn't do a lot of spinning.

—Jack Nicklaus

Synonyms

• act
• deed
• doing
• exploit
• feat
• thing

Examples of action in a Sentence

He was critical of the government's actions before the war.

a military action against another country

She tried to explain her actions.

I accept full responsibility for my actions.

The situation demanded immediate action.

The problem may require military action.

The school took disciplinary action against the drunken students.

They decided that no further action was necessary.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Cavaliers played Herro aggressively, denying him the ball and working to keep him out of the Heat’s offensive actions. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025

In an attempt to give Antetokounmpo another option, Kuzma cut into the paint, but that action just ran him into Turner and clogged the floor. —Eric Nehm, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025

Tips for finding shelter during a tornado According to the NWS, rapid action is key to staying safe during a tornado. —Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025

Yet the two clearly have unresolved tension, as Ellie still holds resentment for Joel's actions last season and for lying to her face. —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English accioun, borrowed from Anglo-French accion, borrowed from Latin āctiōn-, āctiō "activity, act, legal process," from agere "to drive (cattle), cause to move, do" + -tiōn-, -tiō, noun suffix of verbal action — more at agent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing action

• action figure
• action-packed
• action painting
• action potential
• action replay
• action verb
• affirmative action
• all mouth (and no trousers/action)
• all talk and no action
• back in action
• bolt-action
• called into action
• cause of action
• civil action
• class action
• co-action
• course of action
• cross action
• decisive action
• direct action
• get in on the action
• industrial action
• into action
• job action
• jump into action
• lack of action
• leap into action
• legal action
• live-action
• missing in action
• out of action
• piece of the action
• plan of action
• play-action pass
• police action
• political action committee
• put/keep one out of action
• see action
• single-action
• spring into/to action/life
• stirred himself to action
• stop-action
• swing into action
• take action
• take legal action
• taking legal action
• the action
• where the action is

Rhymes for action

• faction
• fraction
• traction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction

Kids Definition

action

noun

ac·​tion ˈak-shən 

1

: a legal proceeding in a court by which one demands one's right or the correction of a wrong

2

: the working of one thing on another so as to produce a change

the action of acids on metals

3

: the process or manner of acting or functioning

also : such an action expressed by a verb

4

a

: a thing done : deed

b

plural : behavior, conduct

5

: combat in war : battle

6

: the plot of a drama or work of fiction

Medical Definition

action

noun

ac·​tion ˈak-shən 

1

: the process of exerting a force or bringing about an effect that results from the inherent capacity of an agent

protein synthesis is an expression of gene action

insecticidal action

2

: a function or the performance of a function of the body (as defecation) or of one of its parts

the normal baby has three or four actions of the bowel in 24 hours

—Morris Fishbein

heart action

3

: an act of will

4

actions plural : behavior

aggressive actions

Legal Definition

action

noun

ac·​tion

1

a

: a judicial proceeding for the enforcement or protection of a right, the redress or prevention of a wrong, or the punishment of a public offense compare special proceeding at proceeding

b

: the right to bring or maintain such a legal or judicial proceeding

2

: an act or decision by an executive or legislative body of a government (as an administrative agency) or of an organization (as a Board of Directors)

the power of courts to invalidate statutes and executive actions

—R. H. Bork

3

: a voluntary act of will that manifests itself externally : a mode of conduct

Etymology

Latin actio legal proceeding, from agere to do, carry out, initiate legal proceedings