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 The federal judge in that case ruled that a jury could find that State Farm had acted in bad faith if the plaintiffs' lawyers demonstrated that the company ignored certain kinds of hail damage. Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026 The April 22 incident took place during dismissal in the Hancock County School District, which said students acted quickly to safely stop the bus, contact emergency services and remain calm until help arrived. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 Roselin’s girlfriend, Tamekia Rich, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Boca Raton, alleging officials had acted negligently by failing to provide adequate supervision of the water and failing to control the crowd. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Together, Carr and Duarte ran the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which acted as a pass-through for federal grants to 42 shelters across Florida. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026 The series was built around Smith, 57, who was then known as one-half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and had never acted on TV before. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026 Police said Allen appeared to have acted alone. Don Sweeney april 27, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026 On the aquarium’s end, biologist Julia Studley told Popular Science that her team acted quickly once they were offered the chance to house the lobster. Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 He is believed to have acted alone and is set to face criminal charges on Monday. Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acted
Verb
  • The Celtics played without Tatum after he was ruled out about 90 minutes before tipoff with left knee stiffness.
    Kyle Hightower, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
  • Meanwhile, Ella was explaining to my mother why the teacher had sent a note home with her and recounting how her friend Stacy had played kitchen with a new girl during free time at school and allowed Ella to join them only for the cleanup part.
    Chang-rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, the Victorville Fire Department, and the Apple Valley Fire District worked together to fight the blaze, which burned 19 acres and is 50% contained as of late Saturday afternoon.
    Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • Martinez easily worked her way into the box and slotted the ball home to allow the Spirit to retake the lead at 3-2.
    Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • But a confidential internal audit later seemed to suggest body camera misuse was more widespread, finding similar violations among patrol officers in three other divisions, including 77th Street.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
  • When Bores entered the primary, in mid-autumn, his ambition seemed premature.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Tall served as Mali’s education and science minister from 2016 to 2017 and is the president of the National Congress for Democratic Initiative, a political party opposed to the military government.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
  • Allen has served as the park historian for twenty-three years.
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • At least one fan even pretended to kiss the trophy through the glass.
    Peter Warren, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026
  • Dressed in a tux and standing behind a podium Thursday, Kimmel pretended to deliver a comic routine for the WHCA dinner.
    David Bauder, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The following year, the Swiss Mad watch—sporting a case made from a composite infused with real Swiss cheese and a red fumé dial echoing the Swiss flag—mocked the loose standards behind the Swiss Made label, which require only half a watch’s components originate in the country.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 2 May 2026
  • Moments after the Nuggets’ loss, former ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones mocked Jokic and celebrated his loss.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Some of the greatest arias in the genre, performed flawlessly by Jonathan Tetelman.
    Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Blue Origin New Glenn mission on payload Blue Ring’s first mission with initial injection into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), with additional services performed in Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Ravanetti notes that this system has operated for more than a century and the bank has never lost a single euro on these loans.
    Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
  • The low-cost carrier, which has struggled to remain profitable since the emergence of COVID-19, once operated hundreds of flights a day and employed some 17,000 people.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acted. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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