1
2
as in shows
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in laws
a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature
the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public buildings to have wheelchair access
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in things
something done by someone
it's acts such as this—lying about having to work late—that make me feel like I can't trust you
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in plays
to present a portrayal or performance of
a local student acted the part of Tiny Tim in our theater company's production of A Christmas Carol
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in seems
to give the impression of being
always acting helpless, just to get attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in functions
to have a certain purpose
the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
if you act confident long enough, you'll begin to actually feel it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in mocks
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
someone who is willing to act the helpless little thing when she wants attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of acts
Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
This one will be a family affair and feature a pair of second-generation Ragweed acts.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
Bad choices can result in evil acts.
—Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
The band remained steadfast in the commitment despite many other acts bowing out.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2026
Falco and Panther Burns regrouped and booked two three-hour sessions at Ardent Records in Midtown, once hectic with overflow from Stax but now booking sessions with national acts like ZZ Top.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
Comedians do dirty late-night acts for adults; aerialists whirl here and there.
—Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The spot featured footage of Americans being good neighbors to one another through small acts of kindness.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
In between acts, there was a dance intermission featuring background dancers, including a solo female dancer performing a contemporary piece, before the stage opened to a full dance performance.
—Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Gravity often acts as an enemy in the delicate world of 3D bioprinting.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Support acts on the outing include Sunny Day Real Estate, Rise Against, the Get Up Kids, Thrice, Girls Against Boys, Hey Mercedes, Motion City Soundtrack, Illuminati Hotties, Mom Jeans, Jay Som and Pup.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
The Legislature acts as if public opinion were irrelevant.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The stone mat wraps around the faucet and acts as a splash guard, absorbing splashes and spills around the area.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Support acts at select other dates will include Sunny Day Real Estate, Rise Against, the Get Up Kids, Thrice, Girls Against Boys, Hey Mercedes, Motion City Soundtrack, Illuminati Hotties, Mom Jeans, Jay Som, and Pup.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
While Hamilton County has a community advisory board not unlike Cincinnati, Schuler said the county organization acts as a community sounding board.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026
The land trust acts as a homeowners association and will collect a fee from the homebuyers that’s escrowed into their mortgage to maintain the land and trails in the neighborhood along with a set of rules homeowners have to follow, Hicks said.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
The government insists the case has nothing to do with a free press, saying the defendants used news reporting as a pretext for years to commit acts that harmed China and Hong Kong.
—Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
This one will be a family affair and feature a pair of second-generation Ragweed acts.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
Bad choices can result in evil acts.
—Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
The band remained steadfast in the commitment despite many other acts bowing out.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2026
Falco and Panther Burns regrouped and booked two three-hour sessions at Ardent Records in Midtown, once hectic with overflow from Stax but now booking sessions with national acts like ZZ Top.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
Comedians do dirty late-night acts for adults; aerialists whirl here and there.
—Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The spot featured footage of Americans being good neighbors to one another through small acts of kindness.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
In between acts, there was a dance intermission featuring background dancers, including a solo female dancer performing a contemporary piece, before the stage opened to a full dance performance.
—Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
The company also owns The Fellas Studios and acts as the entertainment hub for Global, which is best known as a radio company.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Gravity often acts as an enemy in the delicate world of 3D bioprinting.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Support acts on the outing include Sunny Day Real Estate, Rise Against, the Get Up Kids, Thrice, Girls Against Boys, Hey Mercedes, Motion City Soundtrack, Illuminati Hotties, Mom Jeans, Jay Som and Pup.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
The Legislature acts as if public opinion were irrelevant.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The stone mat wraps around the faucet and acts as a splash guard, absorbing splashes and spills around the area.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Support acts at select other dates will include Sunny Day Real Estate, Rise Against, the Get Up Kids, Thrice, Girls Against Boys, Hey Mercedes, Motion City Soundtrack, Illuminati Hotties, Mom Jeans, Jay Som, and Pup.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
While Hamilton County has a community advisory board not unlike Cincinnati, Schuler said the county organization acts as a community sounding board.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026
The land trust acts as a homeowners association and will collect a fee from the homebuyers that’s escrowed into their mortgage to maintain the land and trails in the neighborhood along with a set of rules homeowners have to follow, Hicks said.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acts
Noun
-
Gemini May 21 – June 20 When emotions shift, routines need flexibility.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
May 21 – June 20 When emotions shift, routines need flexibility.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nobody, that is, apart from the nearly 50 million people in the United States who speak Spanish fluently — along with the countless viewers who didn’t need words to catch the vibe of a performance that will go down as one of the most memorable, impactful halftime shows of all time.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Pop singer Demi Lovato has canceled five shows on their upcoming tour, including a Ball Arena concert, and pushed back the start date due to concerns about their health.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Straight men, in particular, are only talked about, kept in the background, or appearing as authority figures trying to uphold absurd laws and traditions.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Often, competitive incentives offered by state governments, state laws that are less friendly to labor unions than many northern states and access to major transportation networks are among the reasons behind the industry’s rise in the South.—
Brian Moody,
AJC.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fact-check things on social media before reposting them, using sources that provide links to original documents.—
Brenda Looper,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Kisilevych noted that some Ukrainians are promised that if things go wrong, they will be exchanged for Ukrainian citizens held as prisoners of war by Russia.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has a chance to join an exclusive group when his team plays the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
This commitment to efficiency extends into shelter support, where data plays a significant role.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The average American now works about four years longer than during the 1980s, according to Gallup polling.—
Paige Winfield Cunningham The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Containing everyday shoes is one of the trickiest feats in a home, but a system that works for the whole family keeps the chaos contained.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This seems odd but ripening fruit releases small amounts of ethylene gas which can reduce the longevity of the arrangement.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
-
And in that choice, there is politics – even when the song seems to speak only of love, partying, or heartbreak.—
Rocio Munoz,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Yet the system now functions differently—not through rupture but through recalibration.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
-
This season also functions as the farewell tour for Formula E’s Gen 3 EVO car, which will give way to the 50% more powerful Gen 4 car next year.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acts. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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