action
noun
Simple meaning
Something done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
akshuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈækʃən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Something done (usually as opposed to something said)
“There were stories of murders and other unnatural actions.”
Something done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.
The effort of performing or doing something.
A way of motion or functioning.
The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
Fast-paced activity.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Something done (usually as opposed to something said)
This 'action' refers to an intentional deed, often contrasted with mere words or thoughts. It implies purposeful activity and is frequently used in discussions about responsibility or consequences.
“There were stories of murders and other unnatural actions.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where you'll really hear it
Motivational speech
“True leadership is defined by action, not just words.”
Legal discussion
“The court will review her every action in the case.”
Team meeting
“We need to see some concrete action on this project.”
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use action
- “His novels always have a lot of action.”noun
- “Recent federal action undermined the segregationist position.”noun
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Antonyms
Sense: something done (usually as opposed to something said)
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.