Meaning & use
a doer
Last updated
“a doer” is a form of “doer”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountableapproving
A person who takes action and gets things done, rather than just planning or talking.
Grammar: Countable; you can say 'a doer' or 'doers'. Often used in the phrase 'a doer, not a talker'.
Patterns
- a doer not a talker
- be a doer
- surround yourself with doers
She's a doer, not a talker—she gets results.
The company values doers who can implement ideas quickly.
He's known as a doer in the community, always organizing projects.
Word forms
| plural | doers |
|---|
Common combinations
- a doer not a talker
- In this job, we need a doer not a talker.
- be a doer
- If you want to succeed, be a doer.
- surround yourself with doers
- Surround yourself with doers who inspire you to act.
- a doer of good
- He is a doer of good in the neighborhood.
Synonyms and how they differ
- achiever
- An achiever focuses on reaching goals; a doer emphasizes taking action itself.
- go-getter
- A go-getter is ambitious and energetic; a doer is simply someone who acts rather than talks.
- activist
- An activist works for political or social change; a doer can be anyone who takes action in any area.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: a doer or doer?
a doer vs doer
Doer is sometimes confused with 'doormat', but a doer is active and effective, while a doormat is someone who lets others take advantage of them.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'doer' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A doer is a person who takes action, so 'She is a doer, always volunteering' fits. The other options misuse 'doer' as an object, a tool, or a physical attribute.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a doer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.