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.
U2 are at their best when they act on instinct.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
This creates a brief opportunity for nanoparticles carrying the microRNAs to pass through the barrier and enter the brain, where they can act on genes involved in tumor growth.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
This has been a long dream of the administration and people associated with the administration, and it’s taken them basically a decade in order to act on it.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
Nearly 200 nations joined a historic call at that summit to halt and reverse the destruction of nature by 2030, but governments have been slow to act on these pledges.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
They could stink of wonder and fear and disdain all at once, and an animal never knew which they’d act on.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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