act on

British  

verb

1. to regulate one's behaviour in accordance with (advice, information, etc)

2. to have an effect on (illness, a part of the body, etc)

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act on Idioms  

1. Also, act upon . Conduct oneself in accordance with or as a result of information or another action, as in I will act on my lawyer's advice , or The manager refused to act upon the hotel guest's complaints . [c. 1800]

2. Influence or affect, as in The baby's fussing acted on the sitter's nerves . [c. 1800]

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Example Sentences

Tech and finance executives say Wall Street isn’t far from offering agentic AI that can act on a person’s behalf across numerous accounts—essentially remaking the world of wealth management and investment advice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Plaid Cymru said Wales must be "aware and alert" to public health threats and urged the government and NHS to adapt quickly and act on scientific evidence.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

If buy signals are confirmed, we will act on them, but we would prefer to see a positive change in the construct of volatility derivatives before doing anything too aggressive on the long side.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

"Targeting the brain with drugs is tricky because they act on the entire brain and not a selected region such as the parafacial nucleus," says Paton.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

“I quite disagree, respectfully, of course. I see many who act on instinct, which I believe is wrong. Through instinct we succumb to weakness and emotion. Careful thought and planning, mental construction, is always best.”

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Related Words

• pursue