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

The actor was initially arrested and released later that day on his own recognizance. —Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026

Similar to the time Apple took on the FBI by refusing to unlock an iPhone belonging to a terrorist suspect, Anthropic will likely be remembered as a principled and moral actor. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026

The roster is made up of firefighters, actors, IT managers, teachers, musicians and photographers. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026

Celebrities — from Coldplay’s Chris Martin to actors Tilda Swinton and Demi Moore to pop icons Beyoncé and Madonna — often cite Rumi, described as the bestselling poet in the country. —Rebecca McCarthy, AJC.com, 28 Feb. 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