actress

noun

Definition of actressnext
as in actor
a woman or girl who acts in a play, movie, etc. The versatile actress can seemingly play any role. The actresses in the musical vastly outperformed their male counterparts.

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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 actress The actresses appeared at the Disney Entertainment Showcase during D23 in Anaheim, California in August 14. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026 The actress and model has walked down the aisle twice before. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Rydell insisted that Midler — then an untested actress known for her prowess as a nightclub singer — be cast as the Janis Joplin-like rocker Mary Rose Foster in The Rose. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026 Over the years, however, the actress has proven herself remarkably versatile, pivoting nimbly from frothy rom-coms and broad comedies to searing dramas, psychological thrillers, and big-budget spectacles. — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for actress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actress
  1. actor
  2. performer
  3. entertainer
  4. player
Noun
  • The force has since supported several non-state actors in the Middle East, from Hamas in Gaza to the Houthis in Yemen and even the Taliban in Afghanistan during the 1990s.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Past actors who have portrayed Harvey Dent/Two-Face are Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight, Nicholas D’Agosto in Gotham and Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of actor
Noun
  • Many in Hollywood and beyond were left stunned by news of the passing of multifaceted performer Hayden Panettiere at age 36, as reported Sunday night.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This time, renowned singer and performer Natalie Amaya will join this Northern California tribute band on stage.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of performer
Noun
  • With debts racking up, Ina loses the family’s bus company, forcing her to shift between jobs, from construction to becoming a bar entertainer, therefore forging an identity through toil.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The themes for each collection come naturally to both the heritage denim brand and the multihyphenate entertainer.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of entertainer
Noun
  • The tinted windows looked out onto the courts where Richardson trained some of the best young female players in the Rio Grande Valley, but the glass was one-way, and from outside, nothing that happened in the room was visible.
    — Molly Hensley-Clancy, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Muyumba scored the go-ahead goal in the 78th on a counterattack to become the ninth player in club history to score in three straight games.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of player

Browse Nearby Words

act out
actress
actresses
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Cite this Entry

“Actress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actress. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on actress

Nglish: Translation of actress for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about actress

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