actress

noun

ac·​tress ˈak-trəs How to pronounce actress (audio)
: a woman or girl who is an actor
actressy adjective

Examples of actress in a Sentence

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.
The Arab classics in the selection include Egyptian director Ahmed Badrakhan’s Aida (1942) and Song Of Hope (1937), starring Egypt’s legendary singer actress Umm Kulthum. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025 There’s so many amazing actresses who are opening that path for other young women, which is great, like Margot Robbie or Reese Witherspoon or Jenna Ortega with Wednesday. Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 Look has collaborated in the past with tennis champion Venus Williams, actress Eva Mendes and the late Diane Keaton for its women’s offering. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025 Later on, her talents as an actress would shine in roles on Gunsmoke and and in the 1997 film The Apostle. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for actress

Word History

Etymology

actor + -ess

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of actress was in 1586

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actress. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

actress

noun
ac·​tress ˈak-trəs How to pronounce actress (audio)
: a woman or girl who acts especially in a play or movie or on television

More from Merriam-Webster on actress

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!