Definition of actionnext
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as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the mystery writer displays a sure hand in managing the novel's complicated but never incoherent action

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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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 action The Key Lime Air situation was not the first time Everett Martinez, DIA general counsel, believed Denver's actions put federal grant money at risk. Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026 The team is developing a neuroadaptive control system that allows robots to pick up on signals from the human brain and adjust their actions instantly. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026 Add to this the fact that each hack, slash and gunshot loses its sting, thanks to the villains’ temporary immortality, and what you’re left with is a series of ideas for energetic action moments, strung together with little connective tissue. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 State officials and business leaders have noted a series of recent actions that have helped ease bottlenecks at the southbound San Ysidro-Tijuana crossing. Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for action
Recent Examples of Synonyms for action
Noun
  • The visiting Lancers managed to draw things level at 3-3 by the end of the first quarter, after two late scores, including two short-range finishes by Ella Avery and Kylea Keefe.
    Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The best coaches will set aside time to work on new drills, figure out lineups, game plan for future opponents, and many other things that go under the radar but can make-or-break a season.
    Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Don Abelardo Rodriguez, son of the Mexican president, spotted this plot of land from helicopter and turned it into a private home and eventually the region's first resort.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Officials acknowledged no verified intelligence of a specific plot.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The association filed several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the fee, including one that remains pending that argues there should be no cost for renouncing one’s citizenship.
    Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The Natural Resources Defense Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center and other environmental groups have filed a lawsuit to block the exemptions.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The top two teams from the Americas beyond the United States (which is guaranteed a spot as the host country) qualified into the six-team field through the World Baseball Classic.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Despite the par-5s making up just 12 of the 54 holes Åberg has played this week, more than 50 percent of his strokes gained against the field have come there.
    Justin Ray, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • However, seeing the obviously unwell Jane continually fly off the handle is challenging to watch, especially since her behavior is chalked up to bad nerves and a desperate desire to find a man who will save her from herself.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
  • The activity sends a release of the pleasure-inducing chemical dopamine, which can reinforce the behavior and create a habit loop.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • June 21 – July 22 Morning focus lines up with ambition.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The announcement gives the PA-NG program a strong identity while signaling France’s long-term ambition to project power at sea.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • This inquiry was taken not as a matter of idle curiosity but as an act of insubordination.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Ahead of the festival, which kicks off Thursday, the De Los team has assembled a list of acts that have caught our attention.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Ghazali lived in a single-story brick home in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn Heights about 38 miles south of the synagogue.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
  • That Mann himself had written stories on gay themes added to the piquancy of the encounter.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Action.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/action. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.

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