acted

Definition of actednext
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 This is not the first time AI systems, induced to interact with other AIs or themselves, have acted surprisingly. Tharin Pillay, Time, 3 Feb. 2026 Popular Reads For over 55 years, ChildNet has always acted in good faith, transparently, and in full compliance with state and county regulations. ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026 Also in Paris at the time was Fuller, who had acted in Godard’s Pierrot le Fou (1965), a precursor to he and Lang having their first date the following year in Montmartre. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026 Until then, Villa had acted on Emery’s desire to sign the 25-year-old and felt the former Chelsea academy graduate was willing to join. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026 While the district has since acted to stop these payments, a serious lack of control was exhibited. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026 Wilson occasionally acted later in his career, appearing in the 1993 Danny Aiello dramedy Me and the Kid and the 2000 Pat Morita comedy Hammerlock. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026 This cohesion means the plasma-quark gluon wasn't just a fluid, a term which can include a liquid or a gas, but acted as a liquid. Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026 No federal officials have provided evidence suggesting Pretti acted violently toward federal agents in Minneapolis. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acted
Verb
  • Curry, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and It, played serial killer and rapist Billy Flynn in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Crowder, a key component to the Heat’s run to the 2020 NBA Finals, last played in the league last season with the Sacramento Kings.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The draft, included in the latest batch of documents, indicated prosecutors were preparing to charge not just Epstein but also three people who worked for him as personal assistants.
    Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Glover said the individuals buried in the cemetery were people who picked cotton, worked and built Dallas from the ground up.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Even the winter sun seemed to recognize the gravity of the moment, breaking through the clouds to illuminate the private dining room for the entirety of that historic afternoon.
    Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Jackson seemed to be referring to Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two protesters who were killed under questionable circumstances by immigration agents last month.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Before the war, Rafah served as Gaza’s primary passage to the outside world.
    Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
  • For decades, the concrete building known for its Brutalist design has served as a trusty backdrop for public rallies, political protests and spirited demonstrations.
    Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Korea’s Kim Seon-yeong and Sweden’s Isabella Wranå pretended their brooms were air guitars.
    Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Best of all, Andrew Guest and Daniel Destin Cretton’s limited series is dependent on and a showcase for its two leads in ways previous Marvel projects only pretended to be.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • These trees, this graveyard, her walk among them mocked that memory.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Ticket sales had been anemic and were getting mocked on social media and by late-night talk show hosts.
    Tamara Keith, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In particular, the anything-goes attitude of DIY venue ACS, where Han has performed with local cybergrind artist Supermotel K and Japan’s BBBBBB, has incubated his digital hardcore tendencies.
    James Gui, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
  • After the upper stage separated from the first stage with no issues, the rocket performed two normal engine burns and its 25 Starlink satellites made it to their intended orbit.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Another challenger, OneWeb, is operated by France's Eutelsat and has a constellation of more than 600 satellites.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The organization has leased and operated the five-field complex for more than 50 years.
    Nina Burns, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acted. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.

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