Definition of actionnext
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2
as in plot
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the mystery writer displays a sure hand in managing the novel's complicated but never incoherent action

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in lawsuit
a court case for enforcing a right or claim filed an action in county court to recover his lawn mower from his neighbor, who claims he "gave" it to her

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war the battalion saw action soon after it arrived in France

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of action In a board meeting, Comer later found that no progress had been made on the task force’s action items on determining the accounting and legal realities of the reclassification. Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 Jalen Suggs also hit twice from distance but started off slowly, only taking one shot from the floor in his first 12 minutes of action. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026 As a response to Iran’s actions, the US on April 13 announced a blockade on ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas. Henrik Pettersson, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026 The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, climbed more. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for action
Recent Examples of Synonyms for action
Noun
  • Game 5 showed two things at once.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Rubbing the compost against the screen with a gloved hand will help things along.
    Jessica Damiano, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Their murderous plot is foiled when two escaped prisoners and a guard crash the weekend.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
  • There’s reportedly some filming in Paris, but most of the plot is allegedly set in the resorts.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Their meteoric rise in just the last year is deeply troubling, and state Attorney General Nick Brown is right to have filed a recent lawsuit to stop Kalshi, one of the largest markets, from operating in Washington state.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Jada Pinkett Smith is seeking $49,000 in legal fees from her husband’s former best friend of 40 years after winning dismissal of his $3 million lawsuit.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Johnson and McCollum combined for 31 points on 12-of-27 shooting from the field after McCollum scored 32 points on his own in Game 2.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • He was surrounded by numerous family and Braves alumni during the ceremony, which was relocated from the field to the Milner Technology Conference Center due to rain.
    Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The behavior of a suspect in the murders of two University of South Florida students from Bangladesh worsened over time from marijuana use, family members told deputies after his arrest three years ago for punching his brother in the face and kicking his mother in the back.
    Mike Schneider, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The large-scale, deterministic behavior of physical systems naturally becomes imprecise and unpredictable, dissolving the divide between the classical and quantum realms.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has outlined ambitions to position Japan as a global leader in drone utilization.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
  • At the Capitol, protesters carried placards supporting Fair Districts Amendments, which voters approved in 2010, and denouncing the governor’s scheme as a bad faith gerrymandering scheme that only benefitted his and other Republican leaders’ ambitions.
    Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The jury also found that Esperanza-Pacheco committed a forcible lewd act upon a child during the commission of a first-degree residential burglary, prosecutors said.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • This act of contrition is legible in East Asia, but slightly awkward when performed by Western actors.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Action.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/action. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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