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

She and the actor, also 34, have been married since 2022 and share two children. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026

Emma tied the knot with actor Cody John in an intimate outdoor ceremony at his family estate in Sun Valley on Saturday, July 25. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 27 July 2026

The actress, who rose to fame on the series American Horror Story, married fellow actor Cody John at a private residence in Idaho. — Alfredo Toriello, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026

Laugh out loud with Ray, a seasoned comedian and actor from Seattle who has appeared across television, film and digital platforms. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 27 July 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
• Method 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