actress
Americannoun
noun
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a woman who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
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informal a woman who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others
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
Vocabulary lists containing actress
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.
“Fifty Shades of Grey” actress Dakota Johnson’s “extraordinary” midcentury modern Los Angeles retreat is already under offer—mere days after the on-screen star put the property on the market for $6 million.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
The critically hailed revival of ‘Death of a Salesman’ wins TK Tony Awards, including best revival and best featured actress in a play for Laurie Metcalf.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
British actress Manville won the first Tony of her career for her performance as Jocasta in the Greek tragedy Oedipus.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Metcalf won best featured actress for her portrayal of Willie Loman’s protective wife, Linda Loman, in “Death of a Salesman.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
I read them aloud like an actress on stage.
From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar
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.
