act
gb/ˈækt/ us/ˈækt/
A2
English
~ 700
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Do something intentionally
To do something for a reason or because of a situation.
Usage pattern:
to act [in a way]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'act' with 'play' in the sense of performing in a theater or movie; context determines meaning.
Synonyms
do (A very general term for performing an action, less formal than 'act'.)
Antonyms
refrain (Means to deliberately not take action.)
Collocations
act quickly
|act responsibly
|act decisively
|act immediately
|act accordingly
Themes
daily life
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- You need to act quickly if you want to help.
- The government must act to protect the environment.
- She acted without thinking about the consequences.
- We should act responsibly during emergencies.
Learner examples
- I must act now to help.
- He acted to stop the fire.
- They act when they see danger.
- We should act to save the animals.
Verb
A2
action
2
Perform as a character
To play a role in a movie, TV show, or play.
Usage pattern:
to act [as/like a character]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'act' with 'react'; 'act' here means to perform for an audience.
Synonyms
perform (General term for presenting a role or work to an audience.)
Antonyms
direct (The opposite role in production—guiding rather than performing.)
Collocations
act in a movie
|act on stage
|act the part
|act as Hamlet
Themes
arts
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- He acted in several blockbuster films.
- She is acting in a new stage production.
- They acted out the scene beautifully.
Learner examples
- I want to act in movies.
- She acts on the stage every week.
- He acts as the main hero.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Law made by government
A law made by the government and written down officially.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'act' with 'action'; an 'act' here is a legal document, not just any deed.
Synonyms
statute (A formal legal term for a written law.)
Antonyms
custom (An unwritten rule based on tradition rather than formal law.)
Collocations
pass an act
|under the act
|according to the act
Themes
law
|government
|politics
Examples
- The Act was passed by Parliament last year.
- This is illegal under the new Act.
- The Act protects workers’ rights.
Learner examples
- The Act says we must wear seat belts.
- This Act helps poor families.
- The Act is new this year.
Noun
B1
event
4
Single deed or action
One thing that a person does, often judged as good or bad.
Synonyms
deed (Often more formal or literary than 'act'.)
Antonyms
inaction (Failure to do anything when action is expected.)
Collocations
a kind act
|an act of kindness
|criminal act
Themes
behavior
|core_vocabulary
|law
Examples
- It was an act of great bravery.
- Stealing is a criminal act.
- Helping her was an act of kindness.
Learner examples
- It was an act of love.
- That was a bad act.
- He did an act of kindness.
Noun
A2
entity
5
Part of a play or show
A main part of a play or show, usually with several scenes.
Synonyms
section (A general term for any part of something; less specific to performance.)
Collocations
first act
|final act
|two-act play
Themes
arts
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The first act ends with a dramatic scene.
- There are three acts in this play.
- The second act is my favorite.
Learner examples
- The first act was very short.
- Act two is funny.
- The last act made me cry.
Grammar
Dictionary form
act
IPA
GB/ˈækt/
US/ˈækt/
Syllables & stress
act (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (act)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: act
- 3rd Person Singular: acts
- Present Participle: acting
- Past: acted
Word family
Forms
acts
verb
acting
verb
acted
verb
Negative and opposite forms
inactive
adjective B1
inactivity
noun
Advanced or less common
Expressions
act on
1/ˈækt ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Take action based on advice/info
To do something because of advice, information, or instructions you got.
Examples
- The police acted on the tip they received.
- She is acting on her doctor’s advice.
act out
1/ˈækt ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Perform or express through actions
To show something by acting it like in a play, or to show feelings by behaving badly instead of talking about them.
Examples
- The students acted out the story in class.
- He’s been acting out since his parents divorced.
act up
1/ˈækt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Misbehave or malfunction
To not work properly or to behave badly.
Examples
- My car is acting up again and won’t start.
- The children started acting up during dinner.
catch someone in the act
1/kˈæt͡ʃ sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈɪn ðə ˈækt/
idiom
See someone doing wrong thing
To see someone doing something bad or illegal at the moment it happens.
Examples
- The police caught him in the act of stealing the car.
- I caught her in the act of cheating on the test.
get your act together
1/ɡˈɛt jˈʊɹ ˈækt təɡˈɛðɚ/
idiom
informal
Organize and improve behavior/work
To become organized and start working well or behaving correctly.
Examples
- If you want to pass the exam, you need to get your act together.
- He finally got his act together and found a job.