acted

past tense of act
1
2
as in worked
to produce a desired effect the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in served
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
6
as in mocked
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acted For Rush, a republic that put citizens to death still acted like a monarchy, treating citizens’ lives as its own to dispose of. — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 The Justice Department invoked national security only in court filings days after the White House acted against the reporters. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the case and concluded in December 2024 that the bailiff acted in self-defense. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 Muñiz helped defend the office’s inaction — even though New York’s attorney general acted on similar complaints in that state and netted a $25 million settlement for victims there. — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 Zardari acted on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Cabinet, according to a statement from the president’s office. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Ambrossi said the four pages had acted as a character blueprint for their film. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026 Researchers at rival companies later developed once-daily and then once-weekly options, followed by a pill version and a drug that acted on two hormone receptors to help patients lose even more weight. — Dr. Bowman Heiden, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 These homes were originally used to house boats, and often acted as fishermen's living quarters in the winters. — Callie Thorpe, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acted
Verb
  • Sony Pictures Classics picked up worldwide rights during the festival, and the film has since played Toronto’s Discovery program.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the defense hasn’t played all that well, and the offense hasn’t been much better.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Then Brice Turang worked a full count and hit an opposite-field double.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Rowling is not participating in the doc, which will instead use archive material, her writing and interviews with some of those who have worked with her.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • A week ago, a call between the US president and his Russian counterpart seemed to be about an urgent clarification over a possible outbreak of plague in Siberia.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The trade-deadline blockbusters and late-night deals all seemed at the time like the Sixers were swinging for the fences.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Serhii Sternenko, who runs a foundation supplying drones to Ukrainian forces and previously served as an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, also reported the Starlink speed limits and later said the speeds were being limited even further.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The actresses served on this year’s jury alongside existing members Edward Enninful, ex-editor-in-chief of British Vogue and co-founder of EE72, as well as Marie-Louise Khondji, founder of Le Cinéma Club, and BFI CEO Ben Roberts.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The long drives were buoyed by bold play calling, with the Broncos going 4-for-4 on fourth downs, including a trick play in which Madsen pretended to fumble the ball before connecting with sophomore receiver AJ Jones for 7 yards and a first down.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 11 Oct. 2026
  • To get the tortoise’s DNA material, Jonathan’s veterinarian Joe Hollins pretended to feed him, wedged his mouth open with a hard glove and scraped cells from inside his cheek.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The stance has seen Newsom, who warns the passage of Prop 40 could see an exodus of the super rich from California, mocked and dismissed by fellow Democrats.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed mocked Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Saturday, commenting on Portnoy's body and athleticism.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • With distinct shapes for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Syrah/ Shiraz, Riesling, Chianti Classico, Sauvignon Blanc, Cognac, and Brandy, Vinum shifted how sommeliers performed their duties—and how the rest of us drank wine.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The recycled cells performed comparably to batteries built using materials recovered from conventional fluorine-containing binders.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This sonic machine—a pneumatic system operated by wind and air—is partially concealed inside walls.
    — Thomas Patier, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Crown Estate is an independent company established by Parliament to manage a vast portfolio of properties throughout the United Kingdom that is nominally owned by the sovereign during his lifetime but is operated for the benefit of taxpayers.
    — Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acted. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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