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
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
Be sure to stick around for the twice-daily gunfights staged in the dusty streets by local thespians in 10-gallon hats.
—Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
The casting matches the meathead characters visually, but the disproportionate number of objectively bad thespians on Team Thin Blue Line results in an acting performance disparity that’s sometimes brutal to watch as the fighting progresses.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026
The point is, a whole generation of young British thespians has figured out the one thing almost as good as being cast as James Bond is being rumored for the part.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Be sure to stick around for the twice-daily gunfights staged in the dusty streets by local thespians in 10-gallon hats.
—Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
The casting matches the meathead characters visually, but the disproportionate number of objectively bad thespians on Team Thin Blue Line results in an acting performance disparity that’s sometimes brutal to watch as the fighting progresses.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026
The point is, a whole generation of young British thespians has figured out the one thing almost as good as being cast as James Bond is being rumored for the part.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thespians
Noun
-
The rapid rise of AI, while technologically dazzling, has prompted widespread anxieties on multiple fronts, including job security, human worth and potential misuse by malevolent actors looking to commit fraud, spread disinformation or foment hate.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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And to be clear, there absolutely are bad-faith actors out there.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
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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
-
Many of today's most successful actors and actresses dated back in the '90s and early 2000s.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
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English-speaking French actresses like Léa Seydoux can play both sides of the Atlantic.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thespians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thespians. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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