Synonyms of acting

acting 1 of 3

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interim
• temporary
• provisional
• proxy
• ad interim
• alternate
• makeshift
• backup
• substitute
• provisionary
• provisory
• stopgap
• make-do
• jackleg

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permanent
• long-term

• permanent
• long-term

acting

2 of 3

noun

as in theatre

Synonyms & Similar Words

• theatre
• entertainment
• footlights
• boards
• drama
• production
• show business
• theater
• showbiz
• dramatics
• amusement
• stage
• presentation
• theatricals
• theatrics
• diversion
• spectacle
• recreation
• show
• exhibition
• pageant
• distraction
• pageantry

acting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of act

1

as in playing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• playing
• performing
• portraying
• interpreting
• doing
• depicting
• impersonating
• representing
• enacting
• dramatizing
• rendering
• pantomiming
• overacting
• playacting
• imitating
• role-playing
• miming
• mimicking
• acting out
• underplaying
• masquerading
• overplaying
• clowning
• hamming
• aping
• taking on
• posing (as)
• roleplaying
• coacting
• co-acting
• costarring
• starring (in)
• co-starring

2

as in working

to produce a desired effect

the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• working
• performing
• operating
• reacting
• taking
• responding
• behaving
• taking effect
• resulting
• affecting
• taking hold
• influencing
• swaying
• redounding
• panning out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• backfiring
• fizzling

• backfiring
• fizzling

3

as in seeming

to give the impression of being

always acting helpless, just to get attention

Synonyms & Similar Words

• seeming
• looking
• feeling
• sounding
• appearing
• making
• pretending
• coming off (as)
• coming across (as)
• resembling
• implying
• suggesting
• recalling
• dissembling
• hinting
• insinuating

4

as in serving

to have a certain purpose

the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects

Synonyms & Similar Words

• serving
• functioning
• working
• performing
• operating
• controlling
• directing
• managing
• regulating
• handling
• guiding
• running
• supervising
• administering
• carrying on
• overseeing

5

as in pretending

to present a false appearance of

if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pretending
• simulating
• assuming
• affecting
• feigning
• passing (for)
• professing
• faking
• dissembling
• bluffing
• posing
• shamming
• playing
• forging
• counterfeiting
• concealing
• imitating
• putting on
• masquerading
• making believe
• impersonating
• masking
• camouflaging
• disguising
• playacting
• dissimulating
• letting on
• malingering
• feinting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• playing
• mocking
• imitating
• portraying
• impersonating
• personating
• posing (as)
• masquerading (as)
• miming
• mimicking
• copying
• parodying
• performing
• aping
• monkeying
• travestying