Word

act, v.
(acted, acting, acts)
freq. cnt. 69

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 38 freq. cnt.: 35 freq. cnt.: 3

act move

sample sentences

"think before you act"
"We must move quickly"
"The governor should act on the new energy bill"
"The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

act action action

antonym

refrain

also see

act on act up act upon

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

move

semantic pointers

hyponym

take turns, alternate finish, wind up, end up, finish up, land up, fetch up hurry, hasten, rush, look sharp, festinate interrupt, disturb respond, react go ahead, plow ahead attack, aggress force create come to the fore, step forward, come forward, step to the fore, come out, step up reward, repay, pay back satisfice, satisfise maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre dispatch evade race use play it by ear play deal partner exert egotrip reciprocate go, move, proceed come close perform dare, make bold, presume engage, pursue, prosecute act on interact react, oppose take time by the forelock coact offer, volunteer get around to dally, toy, play, flirt approach, go about, set about participate, take part misbehave, misconduct, misdemean condescend, stoop, lower oneself behave, conduct, carry, acquit, bear, deport, comport behave, comport try, attempt, seek, essay, assay court, woo, romance, solicit court dare effect counteract, antagonise, antagonize anticipate, foresee, counter, forestall prosecute commit, perpetrate, pull rampage deal, cope, get by, grapple, manage, make out, make do, contend deign, descend, condescend condescend take care lord it over, queen it over, put on airs, act superior stampede make sure, make a point repeat, take over surprise sneak play take guard begin, start go off half-cocked, go off at half-cock wait, hold off, hold back continue, go on, keep, go along, proceed do well, had best continue persist in, continue

behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
<verb.body> freq. cnt.: 43 freq. cnt.: 22 freq. cnt.: 18 freq. cnt.: 3

act behave do

sample sentences

"You should act like an adult"
"Don't behave like a fool"
"What makes her do this way?"
"The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s Adjective

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s Adjective

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s Adjective

lexical pointers

also see

act up

semantic pointers

hyponym

verb group

play, act, act as pretend, dissemble, act

play a role or part
<verb.creation> freq. cnt.: 35 freq. cnt.: 27 freq. cnt.: 7 freq. cnt.: 1

act play represent

sample sentences

"Gielgud played Hamlet"
"She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"
"She played the servant to her husband's master"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

playing play play player

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

actable acting act actor

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

representation

semantic pointers

domain of synset (topic)

performing arts

verb group

play, act, act as play roleplay, act, play, playact

hyponym

make, pretend, make believe support enact, act out, reenact act out impersonate, portray parody emote

hypernym

re-create

discharge one's duties
<verb.competition> freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 4

act

sample sentences

"She acts as the chair"
"In what capacity are you acting?"

verb frames

Somebody ----s PP

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

actor

semantic pointers

hypernym

serve

hyponym

criticize, criticise bank

pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
<verb.body> freq. cnt.: 7 freq. cnt.: 6 freq. cnt.: 1

act act as play

sample sentences

"He acted the idiot"
"She plays deaf when the news are bad"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

act

semantic pointers

verb group

act, behave, do play, act, represent

hypernym

act, behave, do

perform on a stage or theater
<verb.creation> freq. cnt.: 1 freq. cnt.: 1

act play playact roleplay

sample sentences

"She acts in this play"
"He acted in `Julius Caesar'"
"I played in `A Christmas Carol'"

verb frames

Somebody ----s

verb frames

Somebody ----s

verb frames

Somebody ----s

verb frames

Somebody ----s

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

roleplaying

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

actable acting act actor

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

playing play play player

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

playacting playactor

semantic pointers

domain of synset (topic)

theater, theatre, dramaturgy, dramatic art, dramatics

hypernym

perform

verb group

play play play, act, represent act

hyponym

stooge pantomime, mime overact, ham it up, ham, overplay underact, underplay

behave unnaturally or affectedly
<verb.creation> freq. cnt.: 10 freq. cnt.: 10

act dissemble pretend

sample sentences

"She's just acting"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

pretender

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

act

semantic pointers

verb group

act, behave, do

hyponym

simulate, assume, sham, feign

be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
<verb.social>

act

verb frames

Somebody ----s

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

action

semantic pointers

hyponym

play drive around walk around

have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 32 freq. cnt.: 32

act work

sample sentences

"The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"
"How does your idea work in practice?"
"This method doesn't work"
"The breaks of my new car act quickly"
"The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water"