as in interim
serving in a position for the time being
will serve as acting president of the university until a permanent replacement can be found
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in entertainment
Related Words
1
as in playing
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
as in working
to produce a desired effect
the painkiller acted surprisingly quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seeming
to give the impression of being
always acting helpless, just to get attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in serving
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 pretending
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 mocking
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of acting
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2026
Rubio currently serves as secretary of State, interim national security adviser and acting national archivist, and was previously tapped for United States Agency for International Development chief before the agency was shuttered.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 7 Jan. 2026
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
Alex Duong, a Vietnamese comedian who was finally seeing his acting and touring careers take off when he was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer early last year, died Saturday morning in Santa Monica after going into septic shock, his wife confirmed on social media.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Pakistan has been acting as the mediator for negotiations between Iran and the US.
—Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acting
Adjective
Storrie’s separate interview was the angel on the shoulder opposite of the cheeky devil Williams represented, revealing more about his pre-acting background.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2026
Rubio currently serves as secretary of State, interim national security adviser and acting national archivist, and was previously tapped for United States Agency for International Development chief before the agency was shuttered.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
The college, developed in partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University to offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, covers screenplay writing, editing, photography, acting and direction, with students specializing after two years.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
Alex Duong, a Vietnamese comedian who was finally seeing his acting and touring careers take off when he was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer early last year, died Saturday morning in Santa Monica after going into septic shock, his wife confirmed on social media.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
Verify tax advice before acting on it.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Pakistan has been acting as the mediator for negotiations between Iran and the US.
—Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting
Adjective
-
Then Spanish-Georgian lightweight champion Ilia Topuria takes on interim champ Justin Gaethje, one of just two Americans who currently hold even a share of the UFC’s 11 championship belts.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Solana Beach and Del Mar recently approved the hiring of Colin Stowell as interim fire chief to serve both cities during the transition.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The book portrays an authoritarian near-future Russia where most entertainment and all news comes through Cameras, people wired to transmit their experiences directly from their brains to the internet.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.—
Ashley Boucher,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Cubs went from playing in 100-plus degree weather for over a week in Arizona to wind chills in the upper 20s on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field in their 6-2 win over the Angels.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And while Harrell continues his rehab, newcomer Cole Gonzales has been working with the first team, along with returner Grayson Loftis, who started seven games last season.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
One player who’s looking forward to working with Corona is freshman Max DeHoyos.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To remedy this seeming deficiency in power, the marque’s then-head of racing, Erich Waxenberger, set up a skunkworks program to create a more potent Pagoda.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Plus, a slightly soft finish on the leather or suede keeps the look from seeming too strict.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The sixth-year senior saw limited action last season in the ACC with Pittsburgh, serving as the Panthers’ third-string quarterback and tossing just 22 passes on the year.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Uchral Nyam-Osor, the current party chairman who is serving as speaker of the Parliament, was nominated at a meeting of the Mongolian People's Party, according to state news agency Montsame.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But requiring all 3- or 4-year-olds to participate in a public preschool program or pretending that child care will produce better outcomes for all children doesn’t hold up to the data.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carnival parades in Germany are famed for their floats mocking a wide variety of domestic and global political figures, and Putin has frequently been a target.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to defending NATO, Macron and other French politicians on Thursday were also reacting to Trump mocking Macron in his remarks Wednesday.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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