action

noun

ˈak-shən How to pronounce action (audio)
Definition of actionnext
1
as in thing
something done by someone judge people by their actions, not by their words

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2
as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the mystery writer displays a sure hand in managing the novel's complicated but never incoherent action

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3
as in lawsuit
a court case for enforcing a right or claim filed an action in county court to recover his lawn mower from his neighbor, who claims he "gave" it to her

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4
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war the battalion saw action soon after it arrived in France

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5
as in behavior
actions plural the way or manner in which one conducts oneself observing the actions of mice in various controlled settings helps scientists understand the effects of certain drugs

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6
as in ambition
readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity the wilderness was tamed by men and women of action

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 action Isak’s shot from distance is sublime, but the movement and speed of action are what turn Van Dijk inside out to create separation. — Mark Carey, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025 Hung’s collaborations with Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao have produced countless iconic moments in action cinema. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025 This season's premiere simply whips, balancing big action set-pieces and smaller character moments in between. — Ars Technica, 15 Mar. 2025 Though, federal court action has paused the White House's push to deport him. — Axios, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for action
Recent Examples of Synonyms for action
  1. thing
  2. plot
  3. lawsuit
  4. field
  5. behavior
  6. ambition
  7. act
  8. story
Noun
  • Certainty about tariff uncertainty U.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett acknowledged that there will be more uncertainty regarding tariffs before things settle down.
    — Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Here’s where things stand and what stakeholders hope the next steps will be for regulators.
    — Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of thing
Noun
  • The fintech industry has seen its fair share of spectacular failures and bizarre plot twists in recent years.
    — Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Trying to describe the film’s plot is an exercise in futility.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of plot
Noun
  • And last week Quality Plumbing, Inc., also based in North Kansas City, filed a lawsuit against the company over $254,000 in unpaid bills.
    — David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Geroge Clinton has filed an $100 million lawsuit against Armen Boladian and Bridgeport Music, alleging that Boladian fraudulently obtained ownership of approximately 90% of his musical catalog.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of lawsuit
Noun
  • Herro started slow, finding himself with just two points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field midway through the second quarter.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The corn and sugarcane fields of Punjab and Haryana had given way, by the second day, to fields of millet and soybean and lines of orange trees.
    — Amitava Kumar, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of field
Noun
  • Try to separate your sister from her son’s behavior.
    — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Behavioral and ecological unknowns also loom large; modifying an elephant’s genes doesn’t guarantee mammoth-like instincts or behavior.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of behavior
Noun
  • To Zegler, Gerwig’s work gets at the nuances of what women want—love, ambition, independence, or all of the above—even when those desires seem to contradict each other.
    — Patricia Alfonso Tortolani, Allure, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Following a year of whispers, of suggestions that PIF’s interest was waning, the noises are that PIF has privately reasserted its wider ambitions — which Eales’ successor will be tasked with achieving longer-term — something which has had a stimulating effect behind the scenes.
    — Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of ambition
Noun
  • The band then became the first act to debut at No. 1 with its first six chart entries in the nearly 69-year history of the chart.
    — Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 11 Mar. 2025
  • In a remarkable act of creation spurred on by the space race between America and the Soviet Union, science fiction television shows in the 1960s confidently came of age, emerging from campy low-budget offerings of space commandos amid cardboard sets and sparking rockets to more sophisticated fare.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of act
Noun
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Another limited series based on a true-crime story?
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of story

Phrases Containing action

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Cite this Entry

“Action.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/action. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on action

Nglish: Translation of action for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about action

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