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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 actor Casting strategy for the Indian characters is focused on diaspora actors with a presence in the English-language market, which is central to the film’s international positioning. — Jennie Punter, Variety, 14 July 2026 Over the course of 50 years in the business, Pollack advanced a lot of theories about performance, and most of them, particularly his reasoning for why an actor should always be kept a little off balance, hold true. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 14 July 2026 The actors also learned other ways to work the ship, including casting sails, so Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema could just shoot them working as if making a documentary. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026 Others include veteran New York City news anchor Bill Ritter and longtime actor Danny Glover. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 14 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
  • In his first international meeting with England, Messi had a pair of assists on two late-match daggers that pierced through the hearts of Three Lions’ players and supporters.
    — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • The players were tired of critics referring to them as a rebuilding team.
    — Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 16 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

Browse Nearby Words

activity
actor
actorish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actor. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on actor

Nglish: Translation of actor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about actor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All