Meaning & use
actor
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person who performs a character in a play, film, television program, or similar production.
Grammar: Plural actors; used for all genders in modern general English, with actress still common for women in awards contexts.
Patterns
- film actor
- stage actor
- actor in a series
The actor rehearsed the final scene until midnight.
She became an actor after years of community theater.
nouncountableformalfigurative
A participant who influences events, used figuratively in politics, business, or conflict.
Grammar: Formal use often before modifiers like key, state, or non-state: a key actor.
Patterns
- key actor
- state actor
- actor in the crisis
Several regional powers were actors in the negotiations.
The report named climate change as an actor shaping migration.
Word forms
| plural | actors |
|---|
Common combinations
- film actor
- The film actor kept a notebook of character details.
- stage actor
- A stage actor must project to the back row.
- supporting actor
- The supporting actor gave the villain surprising warmth.
Synonyms and how they differ
- performer
- Performer is broader and includes musicians and dancers; actor specifically plays roles.
- thespian
- Thespian is a formal or humorous synonym for actor.
- player
- Player can mean an actor in a show, but also a participant in a game or field.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: actor or actress? actor or actuary?
actor vs actress
Actress specifically refers to a woman; actor is now often gender-neutral.
actor vs actuary
An actuary calculates financial risk; an actor performs roles.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
An actor performs, so rehearsing a scene fits. Computing premiums is an actuary, audience watches, and laws are passed by legislatures.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “actor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.