ACTS Synonyms: 215 Similar and Opposite Words

acts 1 of 2

noun

plural of act

as in routines

a performance regularly presented by an individual or group in his nightclub act he impersonates a veritable galaxy of movie stars

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Relevance

as in shows

a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing

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as in laws

a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public buildings to have wheelchair access

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higher laws

as in things

something done by someone it's acts such as this—lying about having to work late—that make me feel like I can't trust you

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acts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of act

as in plays

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

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as in works

to produce a desired effect the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly

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as in seems

to give the impression of being always acting helpless, just to get attention

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as in functions

to have a certain purpose the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects

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as in pretends

to present a false appearance of if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it

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as in mocks

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

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of acts

Noun

Alongside electronica, alt-pop, and indie rock acts, hip-hop has been part of the Gov Ball from year one—the only year the festival actually took place on Governor’s Island—which included sets by Big Boi, Mac Miller, and Das Racist. —

Rob Kenner, VIBE.com, 8 June 2026 The Hong Kong government proposed legislation Monday that would allow the city’s leader to designate certain criminal acts as national security offenses, stepping up its efforts to stamp out challenges to its rules in the city where critics say freedoms have been eroding. —

ABC News, 8 June 2026 Your oil of choice acts as a protective barrier, helping prevent shampoos from stripping away natural moisture while also minimizing protein loss. —

Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 June 2026 One of the area’s biggest and busiest tribute acts, Playing Dead covered about 200 different Dead songs last year. —

Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026 One of her first acts on taking up the festival baton in 2025 was to reinstate the International Competition. —

Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 June 2026 Coffin concluded Murekezi did not know the nature of his acts were wrong due to his mental illness. —

Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 8 June 2026 Others, quality time, acts of service or thoughtful gifts. —

Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026 When looking at musical acts – either those who have passed on or those that are no longer together – the hip-hop hitmaker joins both Prince and the Beatles in this incredible showing. —

Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Verb

Unlike the House’s reconciliation process, the Senate is a more delicate balancing act between a marathon voting session where Democrats try to exploit defections and the chamber’s parliamentarian, who acts as a referee for which policies may be excluded. —

Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 9 June 2026 Because most of the produce is highly perishable, the team acts quickly. —

Jerry Wu, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026 Cynthia acts almost like a sorority big sister or alumni mentor, eager to help mold the next generation. —

Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 8 June 2026 Adding amines This material is based on amines—a simple chemical group that conveniently acts like a sponge for CO2. —

ArsTechnica, 8 June 2026 The Midtown Farmers Market is featuring a broad mix of musical guests throughout June, including jazz, singer-songwriter, DJ and pop/funk/neo soul acts for free every Saturday. —

Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026 The new Siri app acts as an archive for past conversations users had with the virtual assistant. —

Greta Cross, USA Today, 8 June 2026 It is not used for fermentation as is typically the case, but instead acts as a binder for all the other ingredients. —

Shirl Leigh june 08, New Atlas, 8 June 2026 Nevertheless, in national politics, the Party acts as a clearing house for Switzerland’s most extreme expressions of nativism. —

Jessi Jezewska Stevens, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acts

Noun

Once Venus enters Leo, all of that romantic momentum moves towards your daily duties and self-care routines.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Throughout the testing period, participants recorded how their skin looked and felt, then rated each cream across key factors, including texture, absorption, overnight hydration, and compatibility with existing routines.

— Jenny Berg, InStyle, 4 June 2026