act on
Britishverb
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to regulate one's behaviour in accordance with (advice, information, etc)
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to have an effect on (illness, a part of the body, etc)
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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]
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Influence or affect, as in The baby's fussing acted on the sitter's nerves . [c. 1800]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He enlisted the Rev. Wayne “Chris” Hartmire Jr., an old friend from his UFW days to stage a nonviolent fast to pressure county officials to act on a homeless shelter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
The somewhat unexpected money has given them permission to act on their “biggest, craziest, weirdest dreams,” said Novack, 35, who was most recently a senior category manager at Impossible Foods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The FDA had to conduct epidemiological interviews, laboratory testing and traceback through a sprawling produce supply chain; Taco Bell could act on suspicion and pull an ingredient.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
The US government has described it as the "most egregious criminal act on American soil in modern history".
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Not that she was ready to act on these notions, but there was a slow thaw occurring within her.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
