actor

noun

ˈak-tər How to pronounce actor (audio)
Definition of actornext
1
as in actress
one who acts professionally (as in a play, movie, or television show) my sister went to drama school to become an actor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in participant
one who takes part in something Benjamin Franklin was a major actor in many of the events leading up to the founding of our nation

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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 actor The Deadwood and Justified star is set to reprise his role as the real-life actor James Stacy in The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 hit, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 July 2026 A lot of great actors are based around there, and there were others like Lubna Azabal who plays Julia Felix. — ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026 Zylberstein is also one of the few French actors signed by CAA. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 21 July 2026 Her authentic performance as Jia, a deaf girl who shares a unique bond with Kong, earned widespread praise and helped increase representation of deaf actors in major Hollywood productions. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for actor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actor
  1. actress
  2. participant
  3. performer
  4. player
  5. entertainer
  6. participator
  7. thespian
Noun
  • Related Stories Gautam took best actress for her role in the film.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • In 1999, the then-18-year-old actress enrolled at Harvard University.
    — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of actress
Noun
  • Presents, the fair’s presentation of young artists and galleries, has additionally expanded to around 55 participants.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 20 July 2026
  • Some participants, as young as 3 years old, can barely see over the net.
    — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of participant
Noun
  • Argentina’s wily, extroverted goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, was its standout performer, repelling some, spilling others.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • She was hailed as a natural politician, a performer from a young age who had starred in music and theater productions.
    — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of performer
Noun
  • The Charlotte Hornets coach is already impressed with the demeanor and mentality of Naz Reid, the player swapped along with draft pick compensation in the trade sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
  • The most competitive part of the match might have been the fight between the players of the two sides right after the game ended.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of player
Noun
  • The Alta Moda closing show in Sicily saw the entertainer donning stunning, sultry custom looks for the supremely lavish celebration.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • Sándor Fehér was a 38-year-old violinist from Hungary who was working as an entertainer aboard the Costa Concordia.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of entertainer
Noun
  • And in doing so, Gunther often lulls crowds into becoming sporting event spectators rather than the raucous participators that most other wrestlers try to draw out of them.
    — Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Definition of participator
Noun
  • Broadway's glittering lights have always beckoned aspiring thespians and avid theatergoers to New York, and the city's ever exciting theatre scene is far from simply resting on its laurels.
    — Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • Zendaya counted her sixth Emmy nom for the final season of Euphoria with a Best Actress Drama Series nod; the Spider-Man and Dune thespian already has two at home, with Drama Series Actress wins in 2020 and 2022 on HBO’s edgy HBO young-adult series.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 8 July 2026
Definition of thespian

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activity
actor
actorish
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Cite this Entry

“Actor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actor. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on actor

Nglish: Translation of actor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about actor

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