in the act (of doing something)
idiom
: in the process of doing something
When they arrived, I was just in the act of starting to make dinner.
Examples of in the act (of doing something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His wife caught him in the act at 2:30 in the morning.
—
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 2 Aug. 2025
Instead of just trying to catch cheaters in the act with blood or urine tests, the biological passport program takes regular tests from athletes in order to establish their personal normal values.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 25 July 2025
Butler informed Crooks that his firm had been hired by a wealthy woman who suspected her younger fiancé of cheating, and they were headed out to potentially catch him in the act.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 22 July 2025
Our totally political Attorney General Andrea Campbell is now getting in the act, filing lawsuits, putting out statements slamming Trump and generally trying to out-Wu the mayor.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the act (of doing something)
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.
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 2 Aug. 2025
Instead of just trying to catch cheaters in the act with blood or urine tests, the biological passport program takes regular tests from athletes in order to establish their personal normal values.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 25 July 2025
Butler informed Crooks that his firm had been hired by a wealthy woman who suspected her younger fiancé of cheating, and they were headed out to potentially catch him in the act.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 22 July 2025
Our totally political Attorney General Andrea Campbell is now getting in the act, filing lawsuits, putting out statements slamming Trump and generally trying to out-Wu the mayor.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the act (of doing something)
Cite this Entry
“In the act (of doing something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20act%20%28of%20doing%20something%29. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share