direct action

American  

noun

1. any action seeking to achieve an immediate or direct result, especially an action against an established authority or powerful institution, as a strike or picketing.

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direct action British  

noun

1. action such as strikes or civil disobedience, employed by organized labour or other groups to obtain demands from an employer, government, etc

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Other Word Forms

• direct actionist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of direct action

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

“People find direct action so un-British, so when it happens they are so surprised, despite the fact that our whole history is built on it,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

But for those considering direct action elsewhere, there were lessons in 2025 of how protest can produce results.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

"At the budget I will take direct action to ease the cost of living for all households," she wrote in The Times newspaper.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

“But this would seem to suggest that kind of stasis is now changing to more direct action on the part of companies, and that’s going to make jobs more precarious.”

From MarketWatch • Oct. 28, 2025

That event marked the beginnings of King’s commitment to nonviolent direct action.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson