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:
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
After Holmes starts her prison sentence, “You Can See Everything” shifts gears and introduces Emmy-winning actress Amanda Seyfried, who played Holmes in “The Dropout.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
The actress and Fielder go to Evans’s home, where she attempts to do some detective work of her own.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
They were joined on the podium by actress Linda Gray - Sue Ellen in the Dallas TV series.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Then the girls: the actress Mary, who had been so wonderful in Private Lives, had suddenly removed herself without explanation to Glasgow and no one knew why.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
“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
I definitely fit the description of the ugly duckling in makeover movies, except that those girls were actually gorgeous actresses disguised by poorly framed glasses.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
