action
noun
ac·tion
| \ ˈak-shən
\
\
plural actions
Definition of action
1a
: a thing done : deed
b
: the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition
d
: initiative, enterprise
a man of action
2
: an act of will
an emergency requiring action
3
: the bringing about of an alteration by force or through a natural agency
the action of water on rocks
4
: the manner or method of performing:
a
: an actor's or speaker's deportment or expression by means of attitude, voice, and gesture
An actor's words and actions should agree.
b
: the style of movement of the feet and legs (as of a horse)
c
: a function of the body or one of its parts
5
: the initiating of a proceeding in a court of justice by which one demands or enforces one's right
also
: the proceeding itself
6a(1)
: an engagement between troops or ships
(2)
: combat in war
gallantry in action
b(1)
: an event or series of events forming a literary composition
Most of the play's action takes place in a courtroom.
(2)
: the unfolding of the events of a drama or work of fiction : plot
As the action unfolds, we learn more about the hero's family.
(3)
: the movement of incidents in a plot
a movie that is two hours of nonstop action
c
: the combination of circumstances that constitute the subject matter of a painting or sculpture
7a
: an operating mechanism
b
: the manner in which a mechanism or instrument operates
a drill's twisting action
c
: the degree of resistance of a musical instrument to being played
Next in consideration is the "action" of the guitar, which from the standpoint of playability, is of utmost importance.— Aaron Shearer
especially
: the response or resistance of keys in a keyboard-operated instrument to the player's or operator's fingers
I went to the piano and played but had great difficulty … because the piano had such stiff action. — Horace Silver
8a
: the price movement and trading volume of a commodity, security, or market
b
: the process of betting including the offering and acceptance of a bet and determination of a winner
c
: financial gain or an opportunity for financial gain
a piece of the action
9
: sexual activity
10
: the most vigorous, productive, or exciting activity in a particular field, area, or group
wants to be where the action is
11
—used as a director's command to start filming part of a movie or television show Lights, camera, action!
12
: spin or rotation given to a ball or puck by throwing or hitting it in a particular way
If I am hitting into the wind on the 7th at Pebble Beach, … rather than taking an eight or a nine [iron] and hitting it hard, I'll choose a little eight or even a seven and almost chip the ball, putting as little action on it as possible so it lands softly and doesn't do a lot of spinning.— Jack Nicklaus
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Examples of action in a Sentence
He was critical of the government's actions before the war.
a military action against another country
She tried to explain her actions.
I accept full responsibility for my actions.
The situation demanded immediate action.
The problem may require military action.
The school took disciplinary action against the drunken students.
They decided that no further action was necessary.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Aside from his own personal situation, the versatile defender also had his say regarding the action on the pitch. — SI.com, "Jan Vertonghen Dismisses Rumours of Rift With Mauricio Pochettino After Returning in Arsenal Draw," 3 Sep. 2019 Despite the new policy, YouTube has not taken action on channels belonging to prominent purveyors of hate, such as white supremacist Richard Spencer and former KKK leader David Duke. — Kaya Yurieff, CNN, "YouTube says it's removing more hate speech than before but controversial channels remain up," 3 Sep. 2019 In an Instagram post, that simply featured a screenshot of a note, Justin took the time to explain his actions over the past decade. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Justin Bieber Just Opened Up About His Prior “Heavy Drug” Use in an Emotional Instagram Post," 3 Sep. 2019 For the upcoming sale, Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommended deferring action on some of the leases proposed in lesser prairie chicken habitat, but none in greater sage grouse areas. — Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, "Critics of federal oil, gas leasing in Colorado focus on fate of fancy-dancing bird and public lands," 1 Sep. 2019 Following the beautiful moment, social media praised the players for their actions. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Naomi Osaka Invited Cori "Coco" Gauff to Join Her for a US Open Interview," 1 Sep. 2019 Highlights from area high school football action on Friday night: A handful of area games were delayed thanks to lightning in the Houston area. — Adam Coleman, Houston Chronicle, "Friday night highlights: Lightning strikes, again," 30 Aug. 2019 The Amazon fires are catnip for proponents of radical action on the climate. — Rich Lowry, National Review, "The Amazon Scam," 30 Aug. 2019 Vega said the District Attorney’s Office is still evaluating any potential legal action on the letters. — Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, "Nearly a year after conviction, son sentenced in San Jose parent murders," 30 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'action.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for action
action
noun
English Language Learners Definition of action
: something that a person or group does
: things done to achieve a particular purpose
: fighting that happens in a war
See the full definition for action in the English Language Learners Dictionary
action
noun