acting

1 of 2

noun

act·​ing ˈak-tiŋ How to pronounce acting (audio)
: the art or practice of representing a character on a stage or before cameras

acting

2 of 2

adjective

1
: holding a temporary rank or position : performing services temporarily
acting president
2
a
: suitable for stage performance
an acting play
b
: prepared with directions for actors
an acting text of a play

Examples of acting in a Sentence

Noun Her acting is unusually good in this film. a new style of acting Adjective The college's acting president will be replaced with a permanent one next fall. will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Star: Tell me about your childhood and what led you into acting and the arts? Pounder: My childhood in a small town of 13 houses that required a taxi, the ferry across the river, and a bus to school, gave my mind plenty of time to imagine all sorts of things. J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2024 Born in Tokyo in 1960, Sanada found an early mentor in Sonny Chiba, the Japanese action star who started his own acting and martial arts school, Japan Action Club. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Adjective
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant who also holds the title of deputy prime minister, was to serve as acting prime minister during the operation, the prime minister’s office said. NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024 Her most recent acting credit is for K. Asher Levin’s 2020 drama series Players. Mckinley Franklin, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for acting 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from gerund of act entry 2

Adjective

from present participle of act entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acting was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near acting

Cite this Entry

“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acting. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

acting

adjective
act·​ing
ˈak-tiŋ
: serving temporarily or in place of another
acting president

More from Merriam-Webster on acting

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