acting 1 of 3

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

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acting

2 of 3

noun

acting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of act
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2
3
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as in serving
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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5
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

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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 acting
Adjective
The 81-year-old acting legend didn't mince words when asked about his daughter's recent announcement. Shania Russell, EW.com, 1 May 2025 It is infused with 70 mg of water soluble CBD for a quick acting effect. Emily Earlenbaugh, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
Outside of acting, Victor was a singer and performed with her husband as the duo Ray and Renee. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 2 June 2025 Mahaffey starred in several notable acting roles throughout her career, appearing on shows including Northern Exposure (1991—1994), Desperate Housewives (2006-2012), Young Sheldon (2017-2020), and Dead to Me (2019-2022). Escher Walcott, People.com, 31 May 2025
Verb
Former acting Labor Secretary Julie Su will serve on the institute's advisory board. Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 Han, 75, formerly the prime minister, stepped in as acting president in December after the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial imposition of martial law. Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting
Adjective
  • With defeat, Ternana stay in the third tier for a second successive season, and the future of interim coach Fabio Liverani remains unknown.
    David Ferrini, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Palestinian Basic Law stipulates that the speaker of the PA’s parliament is to be the interim head of government.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Further factions emerge from there, as people start playing the game within the Squid Game, forming pockets of friendships and alliances, real and fake.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The World Junior tournament is always good for some surprises; a couple of unexpected players emerging as top scorers or playing well in big moments, or a traditional top nation getting upset in the medal round.
    Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • There have been many examples of that from our first edition up until today with global producers and DJs working with top headliners from Saudi, Egypt, Lebanon and rest of the Arab world.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The City is Ours This City is Ours is the story of Michael (James Nelson-Joyce), a man who, for all of his adult life, has been involved in organized crime, working for his friend and the gang leader Ronnie (Sean Bean).
    Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Step one is converting a Mayfair to their side, with Moira seeming like the easiest target.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Despite the seeming doom and gloom, many institutions are stepping up to the plate in the face of these challenges, creating more accessible pathways to higher education.
    Susan R. Burns, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The school's kitchen and cafeteria are congested with long serving lines, according to the district's website.
    Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Shanghai remains the hub for the new model, with the city serving as the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's center of production, as well as the base for its research and development departments.
    George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • This prompt gives you enough talking points to contribute thoughtfully without pretending to be an expert.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
    Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Bannon talked over and through Newsom’s questions, goading the governor at certain points, gently mocking him at others.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2025
  • In the essay, the 37-year-old recalled how Trachtenberg was often bullied by their peers, with kids mocking her for her role in Harriet the Spy.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Launched in 2018, Elevate now has more than a thousand clients in sports and entertainment as well as other sectors such as retail and consumer products.
    Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 9 June 2025
  • Zee Entertainment Enterprises is betting big on micro-dramas as the next frontier in Indian digital entertainment, revealing a strategic equity partnership with startup Bullet to launch a micro-drama application.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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