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Another word for action

a-z
Noun

  1. The process of doing

      1. The process of doing or performing something:
      2. A performance or entertainment usually forming part of a longer presentation:
      3. The actor or actors presenting such a performance:
    See also:

    action

  2. Something done

      1. A document formally stating what has been done, made into law, etc.
      2. The process of doing or performing something:
      3. A thing done; deed
      1. A usually praiseworthy act; a feat or exploit.
      2. Something that is carried out; an act or action.
      3. A thing done; act
      1. Activities that go on every day:
      2. A deed or action, especially when somebody is held responsible for it.
      3. Performance of an act:
      1. (Informal) A complex, often neurotic liking, fear, aversion, etc. with regard to some person, thing, or activity
      2. A turn of events; a circumstance:
      3. The result of work or activity:
      1. A factory, plant, or similar building or complex of buildings where a specific type of business or industry is carried on. Often used in combination:
      2. (Physics) The transfer of energy from one physical system to another, especially the application of a force to move a body in a certain direction. It is calculated as the product of the force and the distance over which it is applied and is expressed in joules, ergs, and foot-pounds.
      3. The action or effect of an agency:
    See also:

    do

  3. The manner in which one behaves.

    See also:

    be

  4. A legal proceeding to demand justice or enforce a right

      1. A container; a receptacle:
      2. An example, instance, or occurrence
      3. An instance or occurrence of a particular kind or category:
      1. The producer of an effect, result, or consequence.
      2. A basis for an action or response; a reason:
      3. A person or thing acting voluntarily or involuntarily as the agent that brings about an effect or result
      1. A suggestion or request:
      2. (Obs.) A motive; cause
      3. An example; case; illustration
      1. An action or proceeding other than a criminal prosecution brought in a court of law or equity.
      2. Suit
      3. (Law) In civil law, a case where two or more people disagree and one or more of the parties take the case to a court for resolution.
      1. (--- Slang) A person, especially an executive, who wears one of these garments at work.
      2. A group of things used together; a set or collection:
      3. The act or an instance of courting a woman; courtship:
    See also:

    law

  5. A hostile encounter between opposing military forces

    See also:

    conflict

© Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Another word for action

Noun

  1. Any state opposed to rest and quiet

      1. The ability to take part in a chemical reaction.
      2. A physiological process:
      3. An educational process or procedure intended to stimulate learning through actual experience.
      1. An organized effort by supporters of a common goal:
      2. A series of actions and events taking place over a period of time and working to foster a principle or policy:
      3. The pacing, specif. the rapid pacing, of the incidents in a literary work
      1. An instance or method of efficient, productive activity:
      2. (Mathematics) A process or action, such as addition, substitution, transposition, or differentiation, performed in a specified sequence and in accordance with specific rules.
      3. The condition of being in action or at work
      1. A presentation, especially a theatrical one, before an audience.
      2. (Linguistics) One's actual use of language in actual situations.
      3. The act or style of performing a work or role before an audience.
      1. Something involving one personally:
      2. Serious work or endeavor:
      3. One's work, occupation, or profession
      1. An occupying or being occupied; specif., the seizure and control of a country or area by military forces
      2. An activity that serves as one's regular source of livelihood; a vocation.
      3. That which chiefly engages one's time; (one's) trade, profession, or business
      1. A factory, plant, or similar building or complex of buildings where a specific type of business or industry is carried on. Often used in combination:
      2. Something one is making, doing, or acting upon, esp. as part of one's occupation or duty; task; undertaking
      3. An amount of such activity either done or required:
      1. Action of the verb function.
      2. Manner by which something functions; the workings.
      1. The actions or reactions of a person or animal in response to external or internal stimuli.
      2. The way a person behaves or acts; conduct; manners
      3. The manner in which something functions or operates:
      1. (Electronics) The ratio of the output to the input, as for a given frequency, of a device or system operating under specified conditions
      2. Something said or done in answer; reply or reaction
      3. (Eccles.) A word or words used in replying to or affirming a prayer, reading, or exhortation
      1. A return or opposing action, force, influence, etc.
      2. (Chem.) The mutual action of substances undergoing chemical change
      3. A movement back to a former or less advanced condition, stage, etc.; esp., such a movement or tendency in economics or politics; extreme conservatism
      1. The manner of doing or producing something, as of performing a piece of music or a role in a play
      2. (Law) A writ or order, issued by a court, giving authority to put a judgment into effect
      3. The manner, style, or result of performance:
      1. The act of granting certain powers or the authority to carry out a particular task or duty.
      2. An entrusting, as of power and authority, to a person or body
      3. (Mil.) An official certificate conferring rank; specif., a document issued by the government, making one a commissioned officer in the U.S. armed forces
      1. A manipulating or being manipulated; skillful handling or operation, artful management or control, etc.
      2. The act or practice of manipulating.
      3. Shrewd or devious management, especially for one's own advantage.
      1. Any large-scale business activity
      2. (Archaeology) A collection of artifacts or tools made from a specified material:
      3. Earnest, steady effort; constant diligence in or application to work
      1. Busy and noisy activity; commotion
      2. Excited and often noisy activity; a stir.
      3. (Computing) A cover to protect and hide the back panel of a computer or other office machine.
      1. Harassing labour; trouble; disturbance.
      2. A state of great disorder or uncertainty.
      3. A state of extreme confusion or agitation; commotion or tumult:
      1. Sharp disagreement or opposition, as of interests or ideas; clash
      2. A fight or struggle, esp. a protracted one; war
      3. Opposition between characters or forces in a work of drama or fiction, especially when motivating or shaping the action of the plot.
      1. An excited reaction or commotion:
      2. A slight movement:
      3. Movement; activity; agitation
      1. A stirring mass, as of leaves or dust; a shower.
      2. A brief fluctuation in stock market prices or increase in trading
      3. A short period of active trading, as on a stock exchange.
      1. Images or special effects created through animation.
      2. The art or process of making movies with drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of static objects, including all techniques other than the continuous filming of live-action images.
      3. The act, process, or result of imparting life, interest, spirit, motion, or activity.
      1. Liveliness of spirit
      2. The quality or condition of being vivacious; liveliness:
      3. The quality or state of being vivacious
      1. A business venture or company
      2. An undertaking, especially one of some scope, complication, and risk.
      3. Industrious, systematic activity, especially when directed toward profit:
      1. Such forces or power, esp. in action
      2. Exertion of vigor or power:
      3. The capacity for work or vigorous activity:
      1. The means or apparatus for transmitting motion or power to a machine or from one machine part to another.
      2. A strong organized effort to accomplish a purpose:
      3. The power or energy to get things done; enthusiastic or aggressive vigor
      1. Speed or quickness; celerity.
      2. Cheerful willingness; eagerness.
      3. Eager willingness or readiness, often manifested by quick, lively action
      1. The quality of being alert or on the alert; briskness; nimbleness; activity.
      1. The quality or state of being ready
      1. Strong feeling; enthusiasm or intensity:
      2. Active or healthy growth
      3. Effective legal or binding force; validity
      1. That property or quality of plants and animals that distinguishes them from inorganic matter or dead organisms; specif., the cellular biochemical activity or processes of an organism, as the ingestion of nutrients, the storage and use of energy, the excretion of wastes, growth, reproduction, etc.
      2. The activities of a given time or in a given setting, and the people who take part in them
      3. Something that actually exists regarded as a subject for an artist:
      1. Either of two marks (— or –), used in printing and writing to indicate a break in sentence structure or a parenthetical element, or to connect numbers showing a range of dates, times, etc.
      2. In Morse and similar codes, the long sound or signal used in combination with the dot and silent intervals to represent letters or numbers.
      3. A gift or tip offered to get better service
      1. Violent motion; turbulence
      2. A noisy rushing about; confusion; bustle
      3. A condition of turbulent motion.
      1. Intense activity; busyness; haste; hurry
      2. An English occupational surname for someone who made things from rushes.
      3. The act or an instance of rushing; specif., an eager movement of many people, as to do something or to get to a place
      1. Active operation:
      2. The ability or power to move:
      3. The act or process of moving; passage of a body from one place to another; movement
      1. The quality of being mobile; ability to move, adapt, etc.
      1. The act of hurrying carelessly or recklessly
      2. Rapidity of action or motion:
      3. Rash or headlong action; precipitateness:
      1. The act of moving rapidly:
      2. The length of time required or permitted for a camera shutter to open and admit light.
      3. The state of being in rapid motion; rapidity:
      1. The doctrine or policy of taking positive, direct action to achieve an end, esp. a political or social end
      2. The practice of using action to achieve a result, such as political demonstration or a strike in support of or in opposition to an issue.
      1. (Cribbage) A call made by a player who cannot play a card because any card in his hand will carry the count above 31
      2. (Brit., Informal) A quantity given or taken at one time
      3. (--- Informal) A situation in which planned operations can be effectuated:
      1. A small nuclear power source designed to provide electricity for satellites, remote automatic weather stations, etc.
      2. Something accomplished without effort.
      3. The sound produced by rapid movement of a finger from the thumb tip to the base of the thumb.
    Antonyms:

  2. An individual deed

      1. The process of doing or performing something:
      2. A performance or entertainment usually forming part of a longer presentation:
      3. A thing done; deed
      1. Something that is carried out; an act or action.
      2. A usually praiseworthy act; a feat or exploit.
      3. A thing done; act
      1. (Obsolete) A specialized skill; a knack.
      2. An act or accomplishment of great courage, skill, or imagination; an achievement.
      3. An act or accomplishment showing unusual daring, skill, endurance, etc.; remarkable deed; exploit
      1. (Computers) A program or system designed to take advantage of a particular error or security vulnerability in computers or networks.
      2. An act remarkable for brilliance or daring; bold deed
      3. An act or deed, especially a brilliant or heroic one.
      1. The act of performing; execution, accomplishment, fulfillment, etc.
      2. A presentation, especially a theatrical one, before an audience.
      3. The act or style of performing a work or role before an audience.
      1. The act of accomplishing or the state of being accomplished; completion:
      2. Something accomplished or done successfully; work completed; achievement
      3. The act of accomplishing; entire performance; completion; fulfillment; as, the accomplishment of an enterprise, of a prophecy, etc.
      1. A movement or combination of movements involving skill and dexterity:
      2. A controlled change in movement or direction of a moving vehicle or vessel, as in the flight path of an aircraft.
      3. Any movement or procedure intended as a skillful or shrewd step toward some objective; stratagem; artifice; scheme
      1. The act of moving and placing the foot forward, backward, sideways, up, or down, as in walking, dancing, or climbing
      2. The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.
      3. A degree in progress or a grade or rank in a scale:
      1. The act of achieving
      2. Something that has been achieved, especially by means of skill or perseverance:
      3. A thing achieved, esp. by skill, work, courage, etc.; feat
      1. (Informal) A complex, often neurotic liking, fear, aversion, etc. with regard to some person, thing, or activity
      2. Possessions, including clothing; belongings:
      3. A turn of events; a circumstance:
      1. The state of blossoming:
      2. A sudden attack or forcible effort
      3. A sudden hard stroke or hit, as with the fist or an object.
      1. The position occupied by this person.
      2. (Golf) A scoring unit used to record each time the ball is hit with the head of a club
      3. The act or an instance of striking, as with the hand, a weapon, or a tool; a blow or impact.
      1. A forceful movement, especially an advance or attack by an armed force.
      2. The basic meaning or purpose; point; force
      3. Continuous pressure of one part against another, as of a rafter against a wall
      1. A trick, scheme, or plan for deceiving an enemy in war
      2. A scheme or maneuver designed to achieve an objective, as in surprising an enemy or deceiving someone.
      3. Any trick or scheme for achieving some purpose
      1. The using of energy to get something done; exertion of strength or mental power
      2. A try, esp. a hard try; attempt; endeavor
      3. The force needed by a machine to accomplish work on a load.
      1. An undertaking; project
      2. Industrious, systematic activity, especially when directed toward profit:
      3. An undertaking, especially one of some scope, complication, and risk.
      1. Enterprise; assiduous or persistent activity.
      2. A conscientious or concerted effort toward an end; an earnest attempt.
      3. A sincere attempt; a determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal.
      1. An action taken to achieve an objective; a maneuver:
      2. (Games) An act of transferring a piece from one position to another in board games.
      3. (Chess, Checkers, etc.) The act of moving, or a player's turn to move
      1. The act or an instance of moving; a change in place or position.
      2. A motion or action of a person or group
      3. A series of actions and events taking place over a period of time and working to foster a principle or policy:
      1. Performance of an act:
      2. Activities that go on every day:
      3. A deed or action, especially when somebody is held responsible for it.
      1. The basic or general meaning; import:
      2. Something, as a design, aspect of nature, etc., that produces a particular impression
      3. The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result:
      1. Communication involving two or more people that affects all those involved; personal interaction:
      2. A record of the proceedings of a society, convention, etc., esp. a published one
      3. The act of transacting or the fact of being transacted.
      1. Energetic activity; effort
      2. The act, fact, or process of exerting; active use of strength, power, etc.; exercise
      3. The act or an instance of exerting, especially a strenuous effort.
      1. An instance or method of efficient, productive activity:
      2. The act, process, or method of operating
      3. A process or series of acts involved in a particular form of work:
      1. A contest between antagonists; a match:
      2. A period of time spent in a particular way; a spell:
      1. The result of personal efforts.
      2. Anything made or done by a particular person
      3. Work performed by hand.
      1. (--- Law) The set of rules under which litigation is conducted, especially in contrast to the set of substantive legal principles that determine the merits of legal controversies and disputes.
      2. A particular course of action or way of doing something
      3. The act, method, or manner of proceeding in some action; esp., the sequence of steps to be followed
      1. One that stunts.
      2. The act or process of stunting or dwarfing
      3. A stunted creature or thing
      1. A mischievous or playful act; prank, practical joke, etc.
      2. A turn or round of duty or work; shift
      3. (Slang) The act or an instance of performing sexual intercourse as a prostitute with a customer

  3. A process at law

      1. A group of things used together; a set or collection:
      2. The act or an instance of courting a woman; courtship:
      3. An outfit worn for a special activity:
      1. Something claimed in a formal or legal manner, especially a tract of public land staked out by a miner or homesteader.
      2. A statement, as a fact, of something that may be called into question; assertion
      3. A statement of something as a fact; an assertion of truth:
      1. A lawsuit
      2. (Law) The conduct of a lawsuit
      3. The act or process of carrying on a lawsuit
      1. An action or proceeding other than a criminal prosecution brought in a court of law or equity.
      2. (Law) In civil law, a case where two or more people disagree and one or more of the parties take the case to a court for resolution.
      3. Suit
    See also:

    trial

  4. Military activity

    See also:

    battle

  5. The plot or events in a creative work

      1. A small area of ground marked off for some special use
      2. A secret, usually evil, project or scheme; conspiracy
      3. The pattern or sequence of events in a narrative or drama.
      1. A significant event, occurrence, or change:
      2. A significant event, occurrence, or change.
      3. The organized activity of soliciting donations or grants; fundraising.
      1. Development, advancement, or improvement, as toward a goal:
      2. Forward or onward movement, as toward a destination:
      3. Forward course; development
      1. (Often figuratively) The process by which something unfolds or becomes revealed.
    See also:

    plot

    See syn. study at

    battle

Idioms:

    bring action

    2. see action

    3. take-action

© WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD® ROGET’S A-Z THESAURUS by Charlton Laird and the editors of Webster’s New World dictionaries. Copyright © 1999 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Sentence Examples

  • This book is a call to action, not complacency.

  • She turned away, embarrassed by the rush of excitement the action had triggered.

  • He slapped the team into action and they headed for town at a more leisurely pace.

  • Sounds like a right of action to me.

  • Maybe now Youngblood would stay out of the news and Howie would back off insisting we take action to stop him.

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Words that mention action in the Dictionary

Words near action in the Thesaurus