Acting

/ˈæktɪŋ/
B1

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Listen pronunciation

nounThe activity of performing as a character in a play or film.

adjectiveTemporarily doing the work or duties of another person.

Extra definitions

verb (present participle) performing a role in a play or film.

verb (present participleBehaving or doing something in a particular way.

verb (present participleTaking action to deal with a situation.

Her acting impressed the audience.
He is acting strangely today.
Acting quickly saved the child.
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
None
“Amy Gleason is the acting administrator of the US DOGE Service, the agency that houses the temporary Department of Government Efficiency, a White House official told CNN on Tuesday.” — 2025 February 25, Kaitlan Collins and Tierney Sneed, “White House reveals who DOGE acting administrator is”, in CNN:
“[…] he does so much magnifie Nature and her Actings in all this material World, as he gives just cause of suspicion that he hath made her a kind of joynt Deess with God in the Affairs thereof;” — 1685, Herbert Croft, Some Animadversions upon a book intituled, The Theory of the Earth, London, Preface:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her ____ impressed the audience.

Expand Your Vocabulary with LexUp

Master English words using smart flashcards, play exciting word rounds, and compete with other learners worldwide.

Built from multiple lexical sources and reviewed by English educators. Dictionary editorial policy

Browse CEFR Words Alphabetically