1
as in thing
something done by someone
judge people by their actions, not by their words
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
3
as in lawsuit
a court case for enforcing a right or claim
filed an action in county court to recover his lawn mower from his neighbor, who claims he "gave" it to her
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war
the battalion saw action soon after it arrived in France
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in behavior
actions plural
the way or manner in which one conducts oneself
observing the actions of mice in various controlled settings helps scientists understand the effects of certain drugs
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in ambition
readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity
the wilderness was tamed by men and women of action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 action
The Secretary of State has taken extraordinary action to ensure that USAID personnel and their family members on medical evacuation status (including for obstetric care) can complete that medical evacuation before being separated.
—
Ted Koppel, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2025
How To Make The World A Better Place It’s been another harrowing week of political challenges to progressive action — from targeting of Harvard University to corporations pausing or silencing impact initiatives that are intended to make the world a better place.
—Paul Klein, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Khamenei feared American military action at the time.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Jonathan Maloney / Inga Beckmann for What The Fox Studio
The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel
After a multi-year closure, The Surrey is back in action under the Corinthia Hotels umbrella, with interiors by Martin Brudnizki.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for action
Ted Koppel, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2025
How To Make The World A Better Place It’s been another harrowing week of political challenges to progressive action — from targeting of Harvard University to corporations pausing or silencing impact initiatives that are intended to make the world a better place.
—Paul Klein, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Khamenei feared American military action at the time.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Jonathan Maloney / Inga Beckmann for What The Fox Studio
The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel
After a multi-year closure, The Surrey is back in action under the Corinthia Hotels umbrella, with interiors by Martin Brudnizki.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for action
Recent Examples of Synonyms for action
Noun
-
Of course, a visually stunning and perfectly functioning restroom has many things happening behind the scenes that aren’t always obvious at first glance.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Surrounded by pediatric oncologists, Matt starts to think about how insignificant his contributions to the world are in the grand scheme of things.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Little is known about the story at this point, though recurring rumors are pointing to Jedi (or at least Force-sensitive characters) being a big part of the plot, even if the movie isn't a direct follow-up to the sequel trilogy.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
18 Apr. 2025
-
This revelation sparks a revenge plot on his end to steal even more business from Staten and put his ranch in jeopardy.—
Francesca Gariano,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that protects law enforcement officers and other government officials from liability in civil lawsuits.—
Cody Copeland,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
-
On April 2, the American Public Health Association, Ibis Reproductive Health, and affected researchers, among others, filed a lawsuit in federal court against the NIH and HHS to halt the grant cancellations.—
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Once both players are on the field, Reid envisions a healthy competition for playing time and invaluable depth.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Understanding how attackers adapt helps refine defenses based on what actually works in the field.—
Nick Rieniets,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Woman 'Unknowingly' Moves to Germany With Army Husband, Then Stays For 10 Years A third commenter penned a lengthy response critiquing the woman's behavior towards her husband.—
Erica Gerald Mason,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Sean Hartnoll has been analyzing the chaotic behavior found inside black holes in the hopes of coming up with a quantum theory of gravity.—
Lyndie Chiou,
Wired News,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Dot Dot Dot, being the first target for Dogma’s acquisition ambition, aims to bring excitement to trend forecasting and consumer insights.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Lawrence leans in and listens as the other commanders disparage him and his ambitions for a reformed Gilead.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Tap the Neighbors tab to view pictures and video of events in your neighborhood such as porch thefts, attempted break-ins, and acts of vandalism.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
-
State law enforcement agencies wanting to participate in the program must enter into memorandums of agreement with ICE, according to the act, before participating in the program.—
Michelle Watson,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Then, after young mothers and children who had just arrived shared their stories, the Holy Father returned to the sister who had been mentioned before.—
Mireya Villarreal,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2025
-
At the center of the most compelling stories lies a single, unshakable force: transformation.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Action.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/action. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share