ACTOR Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

actor

noun

ˈak-tər

Definition of actor

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 As an actor, Yang is known for roles in HBO’s Silicon Valley, Crazy Rich Asians and Hulu’s Interior Chinatown. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 The actor told Fox News Digital what still excites him about his character, Dwight Manfredi. — Janelle Ash , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Robach, 53, was previously married to Melrose Place actor Andrew Shue, and Holmes to attorney Marilee Fiebig. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026 Jackson had filmed actor Bill Irwin experimenting with the character while the team was still considering extensive prosthetics. — Callum McLennan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for actor

Recent Examples of Synonyms for actor

Noun

In an attempt to uncover what might be going on in her mind, Fielder travels to a farm in upstate New York to meet actress Amanda Seyfried, who played Holmes to much acclaim in the 2022 Hulu series The Dropout.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Having dressed numerous actresses throughout her career, Chiuri sees a shift in red carpet culture toward individualized creations and, more recently, greater restraint.

— Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of actress

Noun

Unlike traditional sports betting, prediction markets function more like exchanges, with participants taking positions against one another rather than against a house.

— Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
In a 2020 interview with the local news station KTVZ, Nickerson identified the boy, then 10, as a participant in a special needs program run by the school district.

— HAVEN DALEY, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of participant

Noun

Hugo said his work as a songwriter, producer, arranger, and performer was central to their success, though Williams was the public face of their partnership.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2026
In the Chicago Tribune, Loerzel wrote that the opening of the Uptown in 1925 was cause for a festival, complete with bands, trapeze artists and a madcap performer who set himself ablaze and submerged himself in water to extinguish the flames.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of performer

Noun

Instagram direct messages to a University of Miami football player that included rape imagery, violent slavery imagery, three uses of the N-word and two uses of a homophobic slur are under investigation by the Florida Bar.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Vols' athletic director (AD), Danny White, appeared on the jumbotron with under one minute remaining in the game, urging fans to hold-off on rushing the field until Alabama players and staff members could be safely escorted to the locker room.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of player

Noun

Marlene Dietrich developed a penchant for nomadism over the course of her life as an entertainer.

— Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
How was Dolly a model for a woman in country to be a gifted songwriter and entertainer, with both strong values and wide appeal?

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of entertainer

Noun

Marion Bailey, as Amy’s mother, has already emerged from Telluride as a standout, a veteran thespian never given her proper due.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Tim Curry, the shape-shifting English thespian whose entertainment career never failed to defy industry expectations, has died at 80 years old, according to reports from multiple outlets.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of thespian

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activity

actor

actorish

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“Actor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of actor

noun

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