a person who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc.
a person who does something; participant.
a person who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
informal a person who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others (often in the phrase bad actor )
The term actor is almost universally used nowadays to refer to people of either gender who act
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin āctor, equivalent to āg- ( see act) + -tor -tor
If you act in a play, whether it's written by Shakespeare or your little brother, you can call yourself an actor. Some actors make films, and others are on TV. Traditionally, the noun actor referred to a male performer, while actress was used to describe a female. These days, it's become more common to use actor for players of any gender. You can also use the word to describe someone who participates in some action, or makes things happen in a particular area: "She was a real actor in the labor movement." In Latin, actor means both "doer" and "theatrical player."
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Roberts and John — an actor who has appeared in television shows including “In the Dark,” “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” and “The Rookie” — have been together since the summer of 2022.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
A transgender actor playing a Greek soldier who tricks the Trojans into thinking the wooden horse is really a gift has sparked outrage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The 46-year-old's comments came in conversation on stage with fellow Scottish actor Alan Cumming at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, discussing the early years of the hit historical drama.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
She used the pseudonym “Petera Falk,” a reference to the actor who played TV detective Columbo.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
With the skill only an actor could manage under such stress, Booth prepared for a “performance” to talk his way across the bridge.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
She was nominated in 2024 for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Actor Jackée Harry, who portrayed the Jenkins’ young neighbor Sandra Clark in “227,” was also among those who shared tributes to Williams on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Actor Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily, lamented trauma and pain endured by their family in their first public remarks after a long-running legal battle with co-star Blake Lively.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Actor Russell Crowe, a fellow Australian and mentor, advised me to go back and forth between L.A. and Australia and act as much as possible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Emma Watson won the all-inclusive category Best Actor award, which was presented by nonbinary actor Asia Kate Dillon.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
“So a welcome pause from the main actors but a fragile one, especially with side battles still ongoing.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
McNairy, one of TV’s most likable actors, brings warmth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Penner, the library's curator of African and Near Eastern Manuscripts, said the actors had been excited to see the text, with Holland being "super interested" in the artifact.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Coburn’s play stars the married actors as nursing-home residents who connect by playing cards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Movie studios used to sign deals with actors and actresses, in exchange for creating their personas and controlling their lives.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
