acting

American  

[ak-ting] / ˈæk tɪŋ /

adjective

1. serving temporarily, especially as a substitute during another's absence; not permanent; temporary.

   the acting mayor.

   Synonyms:

   interim, provisional

2. designed, adapted, or suitable for stage performance.

3. provided with detailed stage directions for the performer.

   an acting version of a play.

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noun

1. the art, profession, or activity of those who perform in stage plays, motion pictures, etc.

acting British  

/ ˈæktɪŋ /

adjective

1. taking on duties temporarily, esp as a substitute for another

   the acting president

2. operating or functioning

   an acting order

3. intended for stage performance; provided with directions for actors

   an acting version of ``Hedda Gabler''

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noun

1. the art or profession of an actor

Other Word Forms

• proacting adjective
• unacting adjective

Etymology

Origin of acting

First recorded in 1595–1605; act + -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The interior ministry statement said in a statement translated from Arabic: "Security forces immediately launched an operation to apprehend the perpetrators, acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations, tracking the kidnappers' movements."

From BBC

Investors may want to monitor a couple of new issues showing relative strength in a softer market, with an eye toward acting when broader conditions turn more constructive.

From Barron's

Which brings me to my optimistic long-term prediction: The world will become a safer place once leaders, as a matter of course, feed their strategic ambitions and calculations through an LLM before acting on them.

From The Wall Street Journal

Associated Newspapers, the owners of the two papers, flatly denies acting unlawfully.

From BBC

Ferreira initially gained notoriety as an online personality with a popular Tumblr account before transitioning to modeling and then acting, most notably in the first two seasons of the series “Euphoria.”

From Los Angeles Times