Synonyms for act
æktact

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. actnoun

   A product of a legislative body, a statute.

   He's acting strangely - I think there's something wrong with him.

   Synonyms:
   statute

2. actnoun

   To have an effect (on).

   Synonyms:
   deed

3. actnoun

   A display of behaviour.

   Synonyms:
   pretense

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. actnoun

   An act is strictly and originally something accomplished by an exercise of power, in which sense it is synonymous with deed or effect. Action is a doing. Act is therefore single, individual, momentary; action a complex of acts, or a process, state, or habit of exerting power. We say a virtuous act, but rather a virtuous course of action. We speak of the action of an acid upon a metal, not of its act. Act is used, also, for the simple exertion of power; as, an act of will. In this sense an act does not necessarily imply an external effect, while an action does. Morally, the act of murder is in the determination to kill; legally, the act is not complete without the striking of the fatal blow. Act and deed are both used for the thing done, but act refers to the power put forth, deed to the result accomplished; as, a voluntary act, a bad deed. In connection with other words act is more usually qualified by the use of another noun, action by an adjective preceding; we may say a kind act, though oftener an act of kindness, but only a kind action, not an action of kindness. As between act and deed, deed is commonly used of great, notable, and impressive acts, as are achievement, exploit, and feat.

   Festus: We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths.

   Bailey Festus, A Country Town, sc. 7.

   A feat exhibits strength, skill, personal power, whether mental or physical, especially the latter; as, a feat of arms, a feat of memory. An exploit is a conspicuous or glorious deed, involving valor or heroism, usually combined with strength, skill, loftiness of thought, and readiness of resource; an achievement is the doing of something great and noteworthy; an exploit is brilliant, but its effect may be transient; an achievement is solid, and its effect enduring. Act and action are both in contrast to all that is merely passive and receptive. The intensest action is easier than passive endurance.

   Synonyms:
   accomplishment, achievement, action, consummation, deed, doing, effect, execution, exercise, exertion, exploit, feat, motion, movement, operation, performance, proceeding, transaction, work

   Antonyms:
   cessation, deliberation, endurance, immobility, inaction, inactivity, inertia, passion (In philosophic sense), quiescence, quiet, repose, rest, suffering, suspension

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. actnoun

   Synonyms:
   deed, performance, action, movement, proceeding, exercise, operation, play

   Antonyms:
   inaction, rest, repose, cessation, suspension, quiet, immobility, inertia, quiescence

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. act, enactmentnoun

   a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body

   Synonyms:
   characterization, bit, deed, personation, human action, number, human activity, portrayal, enactment, turn, passage, routine

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

2. act, deed, human action, human activitynoun

   something that people do or cause to happen

   Synonyms:
   deed of conveyance, bit, deed, title, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routine

   Antonyms:
   refrain, forbear

3. actnoun

   a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet

   Synonyms:
   bit, deed, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routine

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

4. act, routine, number, turn, bitnoun

   a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program

   "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"

   Synonyms:
   turn, figure, routine, morsel, spot, piece, twist, turning, procedure, function, bit, flake, second, snatch, bend, subroutine, modus operandi, crook, turn of events, round, deed, mo, subprogram, tour, fleck, chip, go, telephone number, play, identification number, number, minute, phone number, spell, numeral, scrap, moment, human activity, good turn, bout, enactment, bite, issue, human action

   Antonyms:
   refrain, forbear

5. actverb

   a manifestation of insincerity

   "he put on quite an act for her benefit"

   Synonyms:
   bit, deed, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routine

   Antonyms:
   refrain, forbear

6. act, moveverb

   perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

   "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"

   Synonyms:
   pretend, be active, locomote, impress, actuate, play, represent, strike, dissemble, prompt, move, propel, work, motivate, roleplay, displace, playact, affect, run, proceed, go, act as, incite, travel, behave, do, make a motion

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

7. act, behave, doverb

   behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

   "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"

   Synonyms:
   perform, playact, dissemble, comport, move, behave, get along, carry, suffice, fare, answer, deport, make, roleplay, arrange, coif, act as, execute, manage, cause, work, do, coiffure, play, represent, make out, practice, acquit, conduct, exercise, pretend, come, coiffe, serve, set, practise, dress, bear

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

8. act, play, representverb

   play a role or part

   "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"

   Synonyms:
   take on, fiddle, dissemble, interpret, bet, spiel, bring, make up, behave, run, symbolize, trifle, play, diddle, meet, lay out, move, roleplay, dally, typify, be, act as, toy, encounter, stand for, playact, flirt, do, make for, wager, represent, stage, exemplify, recreate, pretend, present, comprise, symbolise, work, correspond, constitute, map, wreak, defend

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

9. actverb

   discharge one's duties

   "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?"

   Synonyms:
   play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, represent

   Antonyms:
   forbear, refrain

10. act, play, act asverb

    pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind

    "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"

    Synonyms:
    pretend, make for, flirt, play, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, do

    Antonyms:
    forbear, refrain

11. actverb

    be suitable for theatrical performance

    "This scene acts well"

    Synonyms:
    play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, represent

    Antonyms:
    refrain, forbear

12. work, actverb

    have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected

    "The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"; "How does your idea work in practice?"; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"; "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water"

    Synonyms:
    knead, turn, operate, dissemble, shape, bring, move, behave, work out, run, function, put to work, forge, lick, solve, make, roleplay, figure out, form, pretend, mould, sour, playact, work, do, exploit, go, play, represent, do work, make for, mold, puzzle out, act upon, process, crop, exercise, act as, ferment, influence, work on, wreak, cultivate

    Antonyms:
    forbear, refrain

13. actverb

    be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure

    Synonyms:
    play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, represent

    Antonyms:
    refrain, forbear

14. dissemble, pretend, actverb

    behave unnaturally or affectedly

    "She's just acting"

    Synonyms:
    pretend, dissemble, make believe, play, represent, mask, move, work, cloak, venture, roleplay, playact, affect, hazard, feign, do, sham, guess, profess, behave, make, act as

    Antonyms:
    forbear, refrain

15. act, play, roleplay, playactverb

    perform on a stage or theater

    "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"

    Synonyms:
    pretend, make for, flirt, play, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, do

    Antonyms:
    refrain, forbear

Matched Categories

1. • Be
   • Dramatic Composition
   • Law
   • Legal Document
   • Perform
   • Performing Arts
   • Re-create
   • Serve
   • Succeed
   • Theater

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. stand in for

   Submitted by rinat on August 11, 2019  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. actverb

   Synonyms:
   work, move, carry any thing into effect, execute a purpose, be in action

2. actverb

   Synonyms:
   behave, conduct one's self, demean one's self, acquit one's self

3. actverb

   Synonyms:
   operate, have influence

4. actverb

   Synonyms:
   do, perform, execute, carry into execution

5. actverb

   Synonyms:
   personate, play, simulate, enact, play the part of, take the part of

6. actnoun

   Synonyms:
   deed (viewed as a single exertion of power), ACTION, performance, proceeding, thing, exploit, feat, achievement, turn

7. actnoun

   Synonyms:
   statute, enactment, ordinance, edict, decree, law, bill

8. actnoun

   Synonyms:
   fact, reality, actuality, real existence

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. actnoun

   Synonyms:
   performance, feat, stunt , exploit, achievement, deed, action, procedure, turn, decree, edict, law, statute, enactment, ordinance

2. actverb

   Synonyms:
   behave, deport one's self, play, personate, impersonate, mimic, feign, counterfeit, simulate, dissemble

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "act":

   law, loi, legislation, action, acts, ley, bill, note, acting, statute, deed, tca, laws, operate, pcmltfa, behave, agir, acte, fact, proceed, intervene, event

Suggested Resources

1. act

   Song lyrics by act -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by act on the Lyrics.com website.

2. ACT

   What does ACT stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the ACT acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce act?

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How to use act in a sentence?

1. Kevin Roberts:

   You have to be really aware of not what people say or what they do, anybody can do that, any idiot can do that, you have to understand and anticipate how they are likely to feel and how they are likely to act. Leadership is not about the past or the present, leadership is about getting to the future first.

2. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images:

   It’s really important to listen to your body, if it’s not behaving in a way that’s normal to you, don’t be afraid that they’ll think you’re overreacting. Go to the hospital, go to the ER. … Go and listen to your body and act on it.

3. Chip Roy:

   Yet again, the Biden administration is systematically stonewalling members of Congress, in this case, flat-out ignoring a demand for basic, historical information about FACE Act enforcement that already exists, has already been compiled and has already been provided to a left-wing organization.

4. Jacinda Ardern:

   I intend to give further details of these decisions to the media and the public before cabinet meets again next Monday, this ultimately means that within 10 days of this horrific act of terrorism we will have announced reforms which will, I believe, make our community safer.

5. Isaac Mashman:

   To act out of desperation is to act out of instinct. To let oneself get to that point however, is to ignore self-preservation.