to act
- verb
- /ækt/
- I need you to not act like that.
- way of acting
- act differently
- act irresponsibly
People who don't look or act like people anymore.
- People who don't look or act like people anymore.
- He's not even trying to act like it's not a bribe.
- I just threw you the keys and act like I didn't see.
- This lady is just acting like an entitled bitch.
- Why presume that boys should act like defective girls?
- See, people think that they can't act until they become confident.
- And don't sit there and act like you're so innocent.
- I hate those ladies when they are over acting to be perfect.
- Now for years after that I acted like it was all resolved.
- What why does psychopaths act like they do?
- Yeah, I may have started this, but let's not act like you don't feel like this.
- They, when you buy a car, still kind of act like they own the car.
- And right now when this human is in pain, I'm acting so inhumanely.
- Not just pretend and not just act, but be them.
- That's like that's like how your lady act with her wig on.
Examples
-
She was just acting to impress her colleagues at the meeting.
-
And don't sit there and act like you're so innocent.
-
They, when you buy a car, still kind of act like they own the car.
-
Why are you acting like this?
-
Follow the kids around the track, make some notes, act like an engineer, look cool.
-
I act like I'm a tough guy, but I'm not.
-
Soaps help me learn how I'm supposed to act in different situations and places.
Academic text (1999) -
Such trustworthiness comes if we act according to the adages.
-
Miller fled the state, but authorities found Abdur Rahman at work, acting as if nothing had happened.
Academic text (2011) -
If you keep acting like a child, no one will take you seriously.
Synonyms
Act in a particular way
Behave in a way to trick or amuse someone
To act as if something is true when it is not
To act in a proper or polite way
To behave in a particular way in a situation
Pretend to feel something, like surprise or interest, to trick other people
To pretend or claim something is true when it is not
To hide true feelings or intentions by pretending to feel something else
To act out a scene to practice or show how something happens
To pretend to be a person in a story on stage or with friends
Idioms
- Offensive
To behave in a greedy and messy way, often when eating with others
- Offensive
Behave in a very dramatic, demanding way to get special treatment
- Informal
To be organized, prepared, and able to manage tasks and problems
- Offensive
To wait for someone else to have a problem so you can gain from it
- Offensive
Behave loudly and show off, for example by shouting or flashing money in Britain
- Offensive
To behave loudly and show off to impress other people in an annoying way
- Offensive
To behave rudely and foolishly in a way that annoys or embarrasses people
- Offensive
Behave in a sad, lonely way that makes you look awkward with other people
- Offensive
Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people
- Offensive
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
- Offensive
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
Phrasal Verbs
- Offensive
To do too much to please someone you like to get their attention or approval
- Offensive
Behave in a dishonest or rude way that makes other people feel uncomfortable
Compounds
- Informal
A situation of managing two or more important things at the same time, like work and family
- Specialized
A natural event like a flood or earthquake that cannot be prevented by people
- NSFW
Planned violent action to make people afraid for political, religious or other ideas
- NSFW
A violent act against ordinary people to frighten others for political, religious or other beliefs
- Informal
A situation where a person manages several important tasks at once, often with difficulty
A United States law that requires courts to approve spying on foreign people or groups
- Formal
A U.S. federal law that punishes organized crime and lets authorities seize money and property
A law that puts a paid official stamp on newspapers and legal papers in the American colonies which causes protests
A United States law that makes workplaces safer by setting safety rules and making sure employers follow them
United States law from 1970 used to fight organized crime by giving stronger punishments
- Formal
Former US law that let manufacturers require shops to sell goods at a minimum price
- Offensive
A nickname for a law that extends copyright to help large media companies like Disney
- UK
A former English law that required crowds to leave when a local official read a formal announcement
How Sincere
Surface Forms
Etymology
Act comes from the Latin agere, 'to do', and is related to actor and action. So to act a certain way is to 'do' a kind of behaviour, and when it is not genuine it feels like a small performance.