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Synonyms

actress

American  
[ak-tris] / ˈæk trɪs /

noun

  1. a woman who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc., especially professionally.

actress British  
/ ˈæktrɪs /

noun

  1. a woman who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc

  2. informal a woman who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Use of the word actress to refer to a female who acts is old-fashioned. The modern gender-neutral form is actor

Gender

What's the difference between actress and actor? See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of actress

First recorded in 1580–90; act(o)r + -ess

Vocabulary lists containing actress

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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.

At any moment, she thought she might cross paths with Halle Berry — the similarly named actress she’s often mistaken for — on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The actress on her kids’ favorite Vietnamese food, her mom’s surprising life advice and meeting a pivotal colleague as a teen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Following the “frightening” experience of being evacuated during the Eaton Fire in 2025, the “Fire Country” and “Rescue Me” actress applied the tactical knowledge she had acquired on set to safeguard the La Cañada dwelling.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

When the creators of the hit series "Hacks" explained their planned ending to star Jean Smart, the actress had her doubts, but she trusted the team's vision.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Anyhow, Grandpa hadn’t hardly passed the time of day with Loma since they quarreled about her being an actress, and things got even worse between them after she disobeyed him and married Uncle Camp.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

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.