as in interim
serving in a position for the time being
will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of
a local student acted the part of Tiny Tim in our theater company's production of A Christmas Carol
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in working
to produce a desired effect
the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seeming
to give the impression of being
always acting helpless, just to get attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in serving
to have a certain purpose
the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in pretending
to present a false appearance of
if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in mocking
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
someone who is willing to act the helpless little thing when she wants attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of acting
Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
The actor began his professional acting career in 1996, appearing first in episodes of Baywatch and Malibu Shores before landing the role of firefighter Cliff Yeager on Beverly Hills 90210.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
David Folkenflik, NPR, 26 Aug. 2025
Maria Becerra’s Acting Debut Argentine singer-songwriter Maria Becerra has made acting debut on Netflix’s new series En El Barro, the spin-off of the series El Marginal, produced by Netflix and Underground, a division of Telemundo Studios.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 23 Aug. 2025
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Five years later Augusta had a stroke, with Ed acting as primary caretaker.
—Jr Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acting
Adjective
Her acting seems to meld the persona and the personal—a photogenic clarity and stillness that draws on a deep well of human emotion.
—Wendell Steavenson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
The actor began his professional acting career in 1996, appearing first in episodes of Baywatch and Malibu Shores before landing the role of firefighter Cliff Yeager on Beverly Hills 90210.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
Under the terms of the relevant statute, Lake does not appear to be eligible to fill the chief executive position on an acting basis.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 26 Aug. 2025
Maria Becerra’s Acting Debut Argentine singer-songwriter Maria Becerra has made acting debut on Netflix’s new series En El Barro, the spin-off of the series El Marginal, produced by Netflix and Underground, a division of Telemundo Studios.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
After studying acting at Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, Keaton was cast as the understudy for the character of Sheila in the original Broadway production of Hair in 1968.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Five years later Augusta had a stroke, with Ed acting as primary caretaker.
—Jr Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting
Adjective
-
Kay Barnes, a former Kansas City mayor, is serving in the role temporarily, but the county legislature will soon vote on an interim executive to serve until November 2026.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Bobby Petrino will make his debut as interim head coach in front of more than 100,000 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Its return is part of the 2026 Banana Ball World Tour and the launch of the Banana Ball Championship League, with all six league teams playing a 60-game schedule culminating in the Banana Bowl Championship next October.—
Shane Connuck
October 9,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Oct. 2025
-
After close to two decades had been spent playing professional football, mainly in the EFL, there was no clarity on what would come next when retirement came to his door.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
All federal employees who are not paid during the shutdown, whether they were furloughed or remained working, are entitled by law to back pay once the shutdown ends.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Too many working families are being priced out of their own neighborhoods.—
Miami Herald Staff,
Miami Herald,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But even in a wide-open year for Best Picture, Phantom Thread had trouble seeming important enough to be a winner.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Footage showed Bass kneeling at Price's side to assess and monitor him, while also seeming to keep him as calm as possible until additional help arrived.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Jose David Flores, the club’s infield instructor and first base coach, is in his first year with the team after serving as bench coach the previous three years at Triple-A Worcester.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Many high-calcium foods offer more calcium than milk per serving, including sardines, tofu, sesame seeds, soy milk, collard greens, certain cheeses, and fortified juices and cereals.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
According to the outlet and several videos circulating on social media, Mojito tricked pedestrians by pretending to inject them with a syringe in a series of viral videos.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In the end, no one was pretending, unless pretense paid the bills.—
Lavender Au,
The Dial,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Last week, at the Glasgow stop of her Infinity Heart tour, Siwa unexpectedly ejected two fans from the show over a hoodie that featured Siwa photoshopped onto an egg, an image that appeared to be mocking her hairline.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Following the ruling, Newsom’s press office sent a mocking reply Abbott’s way.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Brewers ranked a more respectable 12th in slugging percentage, and some of their most dynamic hitters were either not performing or not yet on the team early in the season.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Dupieux’s films always feature prestigious French casts and have become a reference for young cinephiles, performing well at the local box office and selling around the world.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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