# acting

Pronunciation: say "AK-ting" /ˈæk.tɪŋ/

## Noun

1. The profession of performing as a character in plays, films, television, or other dramatic works.
   - Simple: The job of performing as a character in plays, films, or TV shows.
   - _Her years of acting on stage prepared her for film roles._
   - _Many people underestimate how much physical stamina acting demands._
4. The behavior of pretending to feel or be something one is not.
   - Simple: The act of pretending to feel or be something you are not.
   - _His surprise was pure acting; he had known about the party for weeks._
   - _Her calm was just acting, hiding how nervous she really felt._

## Verb

2. Present participle and gerund of act. — present participle and gerund of act
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of act, as in “was acting” or “by acting quickly.”
   - _The committee is acting on the new recommendations immediately._
   - _By acting quickly, the crew prevented a disaster._

## Adjective

3. Temporarily holding a position or performing its duties while the usual holder is unavailable or a permanent appointment is pending.
   - Simple: Filling another person's role or holding their authority for a short time.
   - _The deputy served as acting director until a permanent replacement was hired._
   - _An acting head of state signed the treaty during the president's illness._

## Other meanings

- (noun) Something done by a person or party; an act or deed, a use found mainly in legal writing.

## Origin

Formed from "act" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/acting (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).