actress
Americannoun
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actresses
plural
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
I’m a terrible actress, and a terrible comedian.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Koenig is survived by his daughter, the actress and screenwriter Danielle Koenig, who worked on the animated series Star vs. the Forces of Evil.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
The film producer was intent on attacking Ashley Judd, the actress, activist and humanitarian who is one of the authors of this piece, saying she had “mental issues.”
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
Harry, the second son of King Charles III and estranged brother of heir to the throne Prince William, married the American Meghan, a former actress, at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
The grinning face of a middle-aged actress filled the screen.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega may be one of Hollywood’s most recognizable young actresses, but when it comes to real estate, she has kept a relatively low profile.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
“Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega may be one of Hollywood’s most recognizable young actresses, but when it comes to real estate, the 23-year-old has kept a relatively low profile.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Feuds between male journalists and actresses go back years and years.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
Oscar-winning actresses Viola Davis and Ariana DeBose joined "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo in the front row at the show, which took place on the eve of fashion week's official launch.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
The Homecoming Court people, the majorettes, the two lead actresses in our fall production of The Miracle Worker.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
