actress
Americannoun
noun
-
a woman who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc
-
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.
The latter for featured actress for her portrayal of Willy Loman’s protective wife, Linda, in “Death of a Salesman.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 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
More recently, actress Olivia Munn documented her bilateral mastectomy on social media, following her diagnosis of Luminal B breast cancer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet has delighted a young film fan with a surprise call after hearing her story of having to travel 140-miles to find an accessible cinema.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
They all jumped, including Matilda who was a pretty good actress.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
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.
