What are some opposite words for act?
Antonyms for act
æktact
This page is about all possible antonyms and opposite words for the term act.
Wiktionary
English Synonyms and Antonyms
actnoun
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.
Antonyms:
cessation, deliberation, endurance, immobility, inaction, inactivity, inertia, passion (In philosophic sense), quiescence, quiet, repose, rest, suffering, suspensionSynonyms:
accomplishment, achievement, action, consummation, deed, doing, effect, execution, exercise, exertion, exploit, feat, motion, movement, operation, performance, proceeding, transaction, work
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
actnoun
Antonyms:
inaction, rest, repose, cessation, suspension, quiet, immobility, inertia, quiescenceSynonyms:
deed, performance, action, movement, proceeding, exercise, operation, play
Matched Categories
Princeton's WordNet
act, enactmentnoun
a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
Synonyms:
characterization, bit, deed, personation, human action, number, human activity, portrayal, enactment, turn, passage, routineact, deed, human action, human activitynoun
something that people do or cause to happen
Synonyms:
deed of conveyance, bit, deed, title, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routineactnoun
a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet
Synonyms:
bit, deed, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routineact, routine, number, turn, bitnoun
a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
"he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
Synonyms:
turn, figure, routine, morsel, spot, piece, twist, turning, procedure, function, bit, flake, second, snatch, bend, subroutine, modus operandi, crook, turn of events, round, deed, mo, subprogram, tour, fleck, chip, go, telephone number, play, identification number, number, minute, phone number, spell, numeral, scrap, moment, human activity, good turn, bout, enactment, bite, issue, human actionactverb
a manifestation of insincerity
"he put on quite an act for her benefit"
Synonyms:
bit, deed, human action, number, human activity, enactment, turn, routineact, moveverb
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
"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"
Synonyms:
pretend, be active, locomote, impress, actuate, play, represent, strike, dissemble, prompt, move, propel, work, motivate, roleplay, displace, playact, affect, run, proceed, go, act as, incite, travel, behave, do, make a motionact, behave, doverb
behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
"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"
Synonyms:
perform, playact, dissemble, comport, move, behave, get along, carry, suffice, fare, answer, deport, make, roleplay, arrange, coif, act as, execute, manage, cause, work, do, coiffure, play, represent, make out, practice, acquit, conduct, exercise, pretend, come, coiffe, serve, set, practise, dress, bearact, play, representverb
play a role or part
"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"
Synonyms:
take on, fiddle, dissemble, interpret, bet, spiel, bring, make up, behave, run, symbolize, trifle, play, diddle, meet, lay out, move, roleplay, dally, typify, be, act as, toy, encounter, stand for, playact, flirt, do, make for, wager, represent, stage, exemplify, recreate, pretend, present, comprise, symbolise, work, correspond, constitute, map, wreak, defendactverb
discharge one's duties
"She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?"
Synonyms:
play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, representact, play, act asverb
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
"He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Synonyms:
pretend, make for, flirt, play, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, doactverb
be suitable for theatrical performance
"This scene acts well"
Synonyms:
play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, representwork, actverb
have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
"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"
Synonyms:
knead, turn, operate, dissemble, shape, bring, move, behave, work out, run, function, put to work, forge, lick, solve, make, roleplay, figure out, form, pretend, mould, sour, playact, work, do, exploit, go, play, represent, do work, make for, mold, puzzle out, act upon, process, crop, exercise, act as, ferment, influence, work on, wreak, cultivateactverb
be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
Synonyms:
play, move, behave, roleplay, pretend, dissemble, do, playact, work, act as, representdissemble, pretend, actverb
behave unnaturally or affectedly
"She's just acting"
Synonyms:
pretend, dissemble, make believe, play, represent, mask, move, work, cloak, venture, roleplay, playact, affect, hazard, feign, do, sham, guess, profess, behave, make, act asact, play, roleplay, playactverb
perform on a stage or theater
"She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"
Synonyms:
pretend, make for, flirt, play, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, do
Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words
actnoun
Synonyms:
performance, feat, stunt , exploit, achievement, deed, action, procedure, turn, decree, edict, law, statute, enactment, ordinanceactverb
Synonyms:
behave, deport one's self, play, personate, impersonate, mimic, feign, counterfeit, simulate, dissemble
How to use act in a sentence?
UFCW is calling on Congress to act on these priorities and deliver the strong support and protections America's essential workers need as Covid cases continue to endanger those on the front lines across the country, every worker should be paid a $ 15 minimum wage, and essential frontline workers also need hazard pay for the enormous health and safety risks they continue face during this pandemic.
Our democracy is what is at stake. The president leaves us no choice but to act because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit. The president has engaged in abuse of power, undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.
We will work in a collective fashion to hold the lawmakers in Washington that refuse to act, and the gunmakers who put profit over the sanctity of human life, we will hold them accountable.
I think a lot of people today feel a lot of gratitude toward veterans and at the same time we really want to do everything we can to protect them and this is one of those instances where we’re identifying education and protection gaps that hopefully we will act on, melanoma is on the rise, more people are dying from it, yet is the number one preventable cancer. This [population] could be subtext of that trend.
Heath Ledger scared the heck out of me, when Heath Ledger came at me with the knife, i didn't have to act.
Words popularity by usage frequency
ranking | word | |
---|---|---|
#552 | act | |
#1547 | rest | |
#4205 | quiet | |
#5067 | suspension | |
#5907 | suffering | |
#14627 | endurance | |
#16872 | cessation | |
#17539 | refrain | |
#22959 | inertia | |
#28771 | inactivity | |
#30710 | deliberation | |
#36114 | inaction | |
#38211 | repose | |
#89110 | immobility | |
#90962 | forbear | |
#109877 | quiescence |
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"act." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/antonyms/act>.
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