What is another word for action?

Synonyms for action
ˈæk ʃənac·tion

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word action.

English Synonyms and Antonyms5.0 / 1 vote

  1. actionnoun

    An act is strictly and originally something accomplished by an exercise of power, in which sense it is synonymous with deed or effect. Action is a doing. Act is therefore single, individual, momentary; action a complex of acts, or a process, state, or habit of exerting power. We say a virtuous act, but rather a virtuous course of action. We speak of the action of an acid upon a metal, not of its act. Act is used, also, for the simple exertion of power; as, an act of will. In this sense an act does not necessarily imply an external effect, while an action does. Morally, the act of murder is in the determination to kill; legally, the act is not complete without the striking of the fatal blow. Act and deed are both used for the thing done, but act refers to the power put forth, deed to the result accomplished; as, a voluntary act, a bad deed. In connection with other words act is more usually qualified by the use of another noun, action by an adjective preceding; we may say a kind act, though oftener an act of kindness, but only a kind action, not an action of kindness. As between act and deed, deed is commonly used of great, notable, and impressive acts, as are achievement, exploit, and feat.

    Festus: We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths.

    Bailey Festus, A Country Town, sc. 7.

    A feat exhibits strength, skill, personal power, whether mental or physical, especially the latter; as, a feat of arms, a feat of memory. An exploit is a conspicuous or glorious deed, involving valor or heroism, usually combined with strength, skill, loftiness of thought, and readiness of resource; an achievement is the doing of something great and noteworthy; an exploit is brilliant, but its effect may be transient; an achievement is solid, and its effect enduring. Act and action are both in contrast to all that is merely passive and receptive. The intensest action is easier than passive endurance.

    Synonyms:
    accomplishment, achievement, act, consummation, deed, doing, effect, execution, exercise, exertion, exploit, feat, motion, movement, operation, performance, proceeding, transaction, work

    Antonyms:
    cessation, deliberation, endurance, immobility, inaction, inactivity, inertia, passion (In philosophic sense), quiescence, quiet, repose, rest, suffering, suspension

Princeton's WordNet3.5 / 2 votes

  1. actionnoun

    something done (usually as opposed to something said)

    "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inaction, inactiveness

  2. action, activity, activenessnoun

    the state of being active

    "his sphere of activity"; "he is out of action"

    Synonyms:
    bodily function, activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, bodily process, military action, action mechanism, body process, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inaction, inactiveness

  3. military action, actionnoun

    a military engagement

    "he saw action in Korea"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inaction, inactiveness, inactivity

  4. natural process, natural action, action, activitynoun

    a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)

    "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity"

    Synonyms:
    bodily function, activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, bodily process, military action, action mechanism, body process, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inaction, inactiveness

  5. actionnoun

    the series of events that form a plot

    "his novels always have a lot of action"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inaction, inactiveness

  6. actionnoun

    the trait of being active and energetic and forceful

    "a man of action"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inaction, inactiveness, inactivity

  7. action, action mechanismnoun

    the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism

    "the piano had a very stiff action"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inactiveness, inaction

  8. legal action, action, action at lawnoun

    a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inactiveness, inaction

  9. actionnoun

    an act by a government body or supranational organization

    "recent federal action undermined the segregationist position"; "the United Nations must have the power to propose and organize action without being hobbled by irrelevant issues"; "the Union action of emancipating Southern slaves"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inactivity, inaction, inactiveness

  10. actionverb

    the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field

    "the action is no longer in technology stocks but in municipal bonds"; "gawkers always try to get as close to the action as possible"

    Synonyms:
    activeness, natural action, natural process, legal action, activity, military action, action mechanism, action at law

    Antonyms:
    inaction, inactivity, inactiveness

  11. action, sue, litigate, processverb

    institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

    "He was warned that the district attorney would process him"; "She actioned the company for discrimination"

    Synonyms:
    process, accomplish, execute, work, serve, carry through, swear out, fulfil, work on, carry out, sue, treat, march, fulfill, litigate

    Antonyms:
    inactiveness, inactivity, inaction

  12. carry through, accomplish, execute, carry out, action, fulfill, fulfilverb

    put in effect

    "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation"

    Synonyms:
    follow out, carry out, fulfill, follow through, implement, litigate, execute, reach, put to death, accomplish, fulfil, go through, meet, fill, follow up, process, satisfy, carry through, put through, run, pull through, attain, sue, achieve, do, bring through, perform, save, live up to

    Antonyms:
    inactiveness, inaction, inactivity

Dictionary of English Synonymes0.0 / 0 votes

  1. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    activity, exercise, motion, movement, play

  2. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    deed (viewed as requiring a continued exertion of power), performance, exploit, achievement, procedure, proceeding, acting, turn, ACT

  3. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    agency, operation, force, influence, instrumentality, process

  4. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    battle, engagement, conflict, contest, combat, rencontre, encounter, skirmish, brush, affair

  5. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    gesticulation, gesture

  6. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    subject, fable, plot, series of events

  7. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    (Law.) suit, process, case, prosecution

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    agency, operation, movement, activity

    Antonyms:
    inaction, stagnation, inactivity, inertia

  2. actionnoun

    Synonyms:
    conduct, behavior, deportment, deeds, (Law) lawsuit, litigation, suit

    Antonyms:
    inaction, stagnation, inactivity, inertia

Suggested Resources

  1. action

    Song lyrics by action -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by action on the Lyrics.com website.

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How to say action in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#47do
#125work
#400save
#431process
#473action
#492march
#528working
#552act
#557performance
#581activities
#672run
#859meet
#955response
#997doing
#1015activity
#1071effect
#1128decision
#1142move
#1302operations
#1389operation
#1710procedures
#1871motion
#1890actions
#1992effort
#2029measures
#2042exercise
#2113steps
#2118efforts
#2137labor
#2202serve
#2230procedure
#2254reach
#2291fill
#2293movement
#2483measure
#2545decisions
#2575fight
#2614perform
#2830shares
#2866achieve
#3090extent
#3162proceedings
#3191agenda
#3239acts
#3442transaction
#3458execution
#3526labour
#3594implement
#3627measurement
#3758treat
#4319initiatives
#4674measurements
#5127achievement
#5406intervention
#5705sue
#6680satisfy
#6859execute
#7859proceeding
#8815accomplish
#9611feat
#10264exploit
#10494fulfill
#11252deed
#14782attain
#18065accomplishment
#18875fulfil
#38020exertion
#50801consummation
#62280accion
#73380litigate
#302867activeness

How to use action in a sentence?

  1. Sage Eastman:

    What might compel [action], especially in this era of populism, is this broader sense of how much some folks are getting away with, lawfully or not.

  2. Lois McMaster Bujold:

    His mother had often said, When you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action. She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehemently when you desired a consequence you had damned well better take the action that would create it.

  3. Fatih Birol:

    The most important thing for Nepal is to bring electricity to its people, in my view, the best action for Nepal right now would be to take the cheapest option – renewable energy.

  4. W. M. L. Jay:

    Though a good motive cannot sanction a bad action, a bad motive will always vitiate a good action. In common and trivial matters we may act without motives, but in momentous ones the most careful deliberation is wisdom.

  5. Jorge Elorza:

    Two years ago, we began meeting with Black leaders to advance a social justice agenda in Providence, centering voices of community members who deserve to be engaged in policy decision-making, i thank the Municipal Reparations Commission for their community-driven approach to making these recommendations, and outlining a path forward for the City and external institutions. While we know the City cannot advance this work alone, my team and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to put recommendations into action to close the racial wealth and equity gap.


Translations for action

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • optredeAfrikaans
  • عملArabic
  • ғәмәлBashkir
  • механизъм, екшън, действие, бой, дейност, сражение, движение, искBulgarian
  • accióCatalan, Valencian
  • čin, akce, žalobaCzech
  • Funktion, Bewegung, Klage, action, Handlung, Mechanismus, Aktion, KampfGerman
  • πράξη, αγωγή, πάμε, ενέργεια, δίωξη, κίνηση, δράσηGreek
  • acciónSpanish
  • teguEstonian
  • ژیرش, کنش, آکسیونPersian
  • toiminta, akti, teko, toimenpideFinnish
  • action, action en justice, mechanisme, action légaleFrench
  • gnìomhScottish Gaelic
  • acciónGalician
  • אקשן, מנגנון, פעולה, תביעה משפטית, מעשה, אופן פעולהHebrew
  • कार्यHindi
  • szerkezet, mozgás, kereset, akció, per, tett, csata, cselekedet, ütközetHungarian
  • հայց, գործողություն, արարք, կռիվ, շարժումArmenian
  • action, mechanismoInterlingua
  • tindakan, aksiIndonesian
  • azione, meccanismo, azione legaleItalian
  • פעולהHebrew
  • 行動, 動作Japanese
  • āctiōLatin
  • കര്‍മ്മം, പ്രവൃത്തിMalayalam
  • aksi, tindakanMalay
  • werking, actie, handeling, mechanisme, bewegingDutch
  • czynność, akcjaPolish
  • ação, mecanismoPortuguese
  • acțiune, faptăRomanian
  • действие, работа, поступок, механизм, воздействие, движениеRussian
  • veprimAlbanian
  • action, handlingSwedish
  • amel, münasebet, eylemTurkish
  • hành độngVietnamese
  • 行動Chinese

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Translation

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"action." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/action>.

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