Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

acting

/ˈæk.tɪŋ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.82 in modern English

Syllables: act-ing
IPA: /ˈæk.tɪŋ/

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another person when they are unable to do their job.

verb

present participle and gerund of act

noun

An action or deed.

Archaic; Countable

noun

Something done by a party—so called to avoid confusion with the legal senses of deed and action.

Countable

noun

Uncountable

noun

The occupation of an actor.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The Acting Minister must sign Executive Council documents in a Minister's absence."
"The CEO is currently in a hospital. The CFO is acting CEO in the meantime."
"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."
"For quotations using this term, see Citations:acting."
"[…] 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;"
"[…] I desire this Account may pass with them, rather for a Direction to themselves to act by, than a History of my actings, seeing it may not be of one farthing value to them to note what became of me."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin ācta Old French actbor. Middle English acte English act English -ing English acting From act + -ing.

Usage

Inflected Forms

actings (plural)

Phrases

cis-acting self-acting pro tem acting charades voice acting

Frequently Paired Words

cis-acting nonacting self-acting unacting pro tem

Synonyms

playing playacting performing

Rhymes With

attracting interacting reacting distracting extracting impacting enacting exacting subtracting retracting counteracting detracting

Questions

How do you pronounce acting?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæk.tɪŋ/.
What does acting mean?: Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another person when they are unable to do their job.
Where does acting come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin ācta Old French actbor. Middle English acte English act English -ing English acting From act + -ing.

How to pronounce acting

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “acting”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæk.tɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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