actors

noun

plural of actor
1
as in performers
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 participants
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 actors Rather than using background actors, the film features real Puerto Rican residents, including a local activist and singer. — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Buckley’s co-star, Lyndsy Fonseca, and producer Andrew Gernhard also noted that the crew takes care of the actors. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 And if at times the movie comes off as a bit decorous and stiff, the actors, particularly Edgar-Jones and Creed-Miles, do their best to keep the proceedings whirring. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 No formal talks with the actors’ reps yet but both are understood to be supportive of the longer version of the project. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Monaghan recently soaked up rays alongside fellow actors Carrie Coon and Leslie Bibb on the latest season of The White Lotus. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 Oct. 2026 Often, actors were swapping into scenes moment to moment with Harries. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 No state, after all, wants its defensive systems to be at the mercy of unpredictable actors. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 The actors Nael Nacer and Artemis Pebdani double as Haddad’s great-aunt and -uncle and parents, playing across a spectrum of discomfort and cautious support. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actors
  1. performers
  2. participants
  3. actresses
  4. participators
  5. thespians
  6. players
Noun
  • Alaska, Hawaiian are consistent performers The AQR also singled out Alaska Airlines as the steadiest performer in the industry.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of performers
Noun
  • Yet, as in many speculative markets, sophisticated participants often have access to better information, stronger analytical tools and more advanced risk-management techniques than retail participants, giving them an informational edge.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Emerge works with employers to place graduates in jobs, while SETA can help participants pay for rent, food and utilities when financial difficulties threaten their ability to finish training.
    — Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of participants
Noun
  • Famous actors, actresses and recording artists have been known to appear at games in the past, including Valkyries fans George Lucas, Ali Wong, Kehlani, E-40 and others; Dream fans Queen Latifah, Future, Jayda Cheaves and others.
    — Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 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 actresses
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 participators
Noun
  • The latest entry to cross the pond is unlikely to reap similar success despite the presence of Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield in leading roles and a supporting cast featuring some of England’s finest thespians.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Here’s why that’s unlikely to happen, and a ranking of the thespians most likely to land more than one Oscar nod.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of thespians
Noun
  • Dilraba Dilmurat plays the team’s star striker, while Lay Zhang serves as its kung fu mentor, helping the players combine martial arts mastery with soccer skills to overcome formidable opponents and setbacks on and off the field.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • For example, ice hockey players Ryan Price and Eric Bennett from Reid’s novels were originally going to appear; the former ended up being mentioned in passing, and the latter was cut.
    — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of players

Browse Nearby Words

actorly
actors
act out
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Cite this Entry

“Actors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actors. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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