acting 1 of 3

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

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acting

2 of 3

noun

acting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of act
1
2
3
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

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5
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acting
Adjective
Its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar — and in the lead actress category, at that. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025 Sassoon, 38, was a career federal prosecutor for eight years when she was made acting U.S. attorney pending the confirmation of Trump’s appointee. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
This adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical became a critical and commercial smash, recouping its $12 million investment in addition to winning several Tonys including best musical revival and acting awards for Groff and Radcliffe. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025 Along with acting, Bacon has always had a parallel music-making career with his older brother Michael Bacon. Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
Fed regulators presuming the imposition of broad capital requirements are acting in as conceited a fashion as FOMC members setting a rate of interest. John Tamny, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Those officials could be then tapped for acting positions. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for acting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting
Adjective
  • She was named interim president in August on the same day former president Minouche Shafik, facing scrutiny for her handling of Columbia campus encampments protesting the war between Israel and Hamas, stepped down.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Analysts have interpreted the strikes as a warning against the new Syrian government in Damascus, headed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and its backer, Turkey.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Then something strange happened — the Falcons started playing like one of the best defenses in the league.
    Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Deion Sanders began his NFL career with the Falcons in 1989, also playing baseball for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves well into the 1990s.
    Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Or pushing through with friendships that aren’t really working anymore, and maybe never did.
    Daisy Jones, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
  • There have been many examples of that from our first edition up until today with global producers and DJs working with top headliners from Saudi, Egypt, Lebanon and rest of the Arab world.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Step one is converting a Mayfair to their side, with Moira seeming like the easiest target.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Despite the seeming doom and gloom, many institutions are stepping up to the plate in the face of these challenges, creating more accessible pathways to higher education.
    Susan R. Burns, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The school's kitchen and cafeteria are congested with long serving lines, according to the district's website.
    Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Shanghai remains the hub for the new model, with the city serving as the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's center of production, as well as the base for its research and development departments.
    George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • While maintaining a quirky and mysterious air, the show yields questions like, is a cult real if its creators are pretending but its followers aren’t?
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
  • June Squibb plays the titular Thelma, who gets taken in by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) to the tune of $10,000.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Quad’s grievances spill over into her relationship with Heavenly, which ties into Heavenly and Quad mocking Sweet Tea on social media.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Naturally, the Internet lost its mind, and the scene quickly went viral, with viewers mocking and/or sharing their disbelief at Sheridan's dialogue.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The network and Ramsay’s Studio Ramsay Global are also teaming up to launch a digital culinary and entertainment brand called Bite.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Currently, Furious 7, alongside A Minecraft Movie, are leading presales for Friday in China, according to ticketing and entertainment platform Maoyan.
    Sara Merican, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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