actor

noun

ac·​tor ˈak-tər How to pronounce actor (audio)
also -ˌtȯr
Synonyms of actornext
1
: one that acts : doer
2
a
: one who acts in a play, movie, television show, etc.
b
: one who behaves as if acting a part
3
: one that takes part in any affair : participant
political actors
actorish
ˈak-tə-rish How to pronounce actor (audio)
adjective
actorly
ˈak-tər-lē How to pronounce actor (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of actor

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Examples of actor in a Sentence

my sister went to drama school to become an actor Benjamin Franklin was a major actor in many of the events leading up to the founding of our nation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are no Cubs players involved in the TikTok series, the Cubs told me, which is unfortunate since Crow-Armstrong has acting in his DNA — his mother and father are both actors — and probably would be at least as good as Damon. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026 As Pierre looks back on filming, one of the most enjoyable parts of the episode was getting to work with the child actors, including Jayce Eiland and Cairo Cash Lee, who play the younger versions of John. — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 Season 13 of the franchise, which remains under wraps, sees the Canadian actor debuting blonde locks, as per recent paparazzi images. — Paul Chi, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026 Using the likeness of late actor Toshiro Mifune certainly helps, but there’s a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle facial work in this game that breathes life into Miyamoto Musashi, the titular Onimusha. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for actor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English actour "doer, pleader," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin āctor, from agere "to drive (cattle), cause to move, do" + -tor, agent suffix — more at agent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of actor was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing actor

Rhymes for actor

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Browse Nearby Words

act on/upon
actor
actorish
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Cite this Entry

“Actor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actor. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

actor

noun
ac·​tor ˈak-tər How to pronounce actor (audio)
: one that acts
especially : a person who acts especially in a play or movie or on television

More from Merriam-Webster on actor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about actor

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