as in actors
one who acts professionally (as in a play, movie, or television show)
although she's "acted" in a couple of horror movies, I'd hardly call her one of our more promising thespians
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Recent Examples of thespians
Colman Domingo and Sarah Pidgeon are true thespians.
—
Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 June 2026
Vivienne Westwood has reimagined the outdoor terrace of J Sheekey to mark the 130th anniversary of the landmark London restaurant that started as a stall holder in 1896 serving post-theater suppers to hungry thespians and audiences.
—Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
Farris points out that the mandate of finding lower-profile actors doesn’t apply to just younger thespians.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2026
After word gets out that Frank Capra plans to see a matinee performance, a series of comedic twists and turns determines the fate of whether the two thespians achieve their acting ambitions.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Returning cast members include Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, George Wynder and Daphne Zuniga with new thespians including Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman and Anthony Carrigan.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
As he's made apparent many times before, Brian Cox is not afraid to share his opinion of his fellow thespians.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
The world of thespians is dramatic—and not just when performing a play.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
The occasional odd campaign moment and foot-in-mouth gaff didn't help – neither did Jordan getting top honors from his fellow thespians at the Actor Awards.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 June 2026
Vivienne Westwood has reimagined the outdoor terrace of J Sheekey to mark the 130th anniversary of the landmark London restaurant that started as a stall holder in 1896 serving post-theater suppers to hungry thespians and audiences.
—Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
Farris points out that the mandate of finding lower-profile actors doesn’t apply to just younger thespians.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2026
After word gets out that Frank Capra plans to see a matinee performance, a series of comedic twists and turns determines the fate of whether the two thespians achieve their acting ambitions.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Returning cast members include Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, George Wynder and Daphne Zuniga with new thespians including Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman and Anthony Carrigan.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
As he's made apparent many times before, Brian Cox is not afraid to share his opinion of his fellow thespians.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
The world of thespians is dramatic—and not just when performing a play.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
The occasional odd campaign moment and foot-in-mouth gaff didn't help – neither did Jordan getting top honors from his fellow thespians at the Actor Awards.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thespians
Noun
-
The genre by definition requires re-enactments, and does the act of gathering a bunch actors and going to Tehran (or Morocco) give more credibility to the project than having a computer do it?—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
The actors reunited to celebrate an important milestone in the life of their 18-year-old daughter, Lola Momoa, who graduated from high school.—
Monica Coviello,
Vanity Fair,
11 June 2026
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
Noun
-
The actresses were filming a bachelorette party scene for Margo's Got Money Troubles and a bucket list moment took a shocking turn.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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Two actresses have received the same number of Oscar noms as Close — Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett — and both won at least once.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thespians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thespians. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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