acted

past tense of act
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2
3
4
as in served
to have a certain purpose the tail feathers of woodpeckers act as props while the birds excavate tree trunks for insects

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
6
as in mocked
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior someone who is willing to act the helpless little thing when she wants attention

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of acted Prosecutors concluded that the landlord acted in self-defense. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025 Lori also acted as Cameron’s agent for purposes of the ticket that permitted Cameron to enter the game. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Apr. 2025 Only one of five committees charged with considering the idea have acted. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025 The sophisticated computer system, developed by scientists at the University of Glasgow, uses real-world data on how people acted when lost outdoors. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Apr. 2025 Other teams have acted similarly. Zack Meisel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025 Especially when sung and acted at this level. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025 Dillingham, who acted in small roles under the name Samantha Lewes, died from lung cancer in 2002 at age 49. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Day has acted as managing general partner of Hotel Boulderado since 1980. Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acted
Verb
  • Mahomes played baseball in high school and is the son of Major League Baseball pitcher Pat Mahomes.
    Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Mahomes played quarterback for Texas Tech before being drafted as the 10th pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
    Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Those who worked with him always circled back to his genuine joy on the podium.
    Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
  • And the front and rear hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors worked extremely well, even going downhill, without any squealing whatsoever.
    Scott Kramer, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Initially, things seemed to go well.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
  • The surface seemed to explode with whales, their garage-size mouths agape.
    Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • This Eastern Market spot is known for its gyros sandwiches and Greek platters served with a variety meats and accompaniments.
    Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The second recipient was Timothy McCord, a 70-year-old Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam.
    Elizabeth Pritchett, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The newly vegan sister-in-law then called the caterer and pretended to be the bride, adding five new vegan options and approving a $1,500 charge.
    Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Josef and Rosemarie raised three of Elisabeth's children, who Josef pretended Elisabeth left on their doorstep, while Elisabeth was forced to raise three of her children in a locked underground compound without windows.
    Jessica Sager, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Veteran hands such as James Carville and David Axelrod have been widely mocked for their less-than-accurate takes.
    Hanna Trudo, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025
  • For this reason, many mocked a recent publicity campaign by New Zealand.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Carter, 66, who played on the men’s basketball team from 1976 to 1980, said no other doctor had ever performed a rectal examination on him as part of a physical examination.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Over the past 17 years, Mandal has performed at over 2,000 corporate events, primarily in finance, tech, and healthcare.
    Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In the end, Harris lost the opportunity to campaign for votes in key states, looked foolish in doing so, and got zero from her Joe Rogan experience.
    Amie Parnes, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso looked incredible in gold with a Milanese strap, as did several of the new complications, while Patek Philippe gave its Calatrava fresh momentum through subtle design evolution.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acted. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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