Collocations for "act"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "act" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
act
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- act [as though, if, like]
- act like [a child, an adult, a fool, an idiot]
- act like nothing's wrong
- act as if nothing [has, had] happened
- act in accordance with [regulation, the law]
- act [in good faith, with malice, on behalf of]
- act [responsibly, rashly, quickly, inconsistently]
- we [must, need to] act [quickly, now]
- act without [thought to, consideration of]
- acting [for, on behalf of] his client
- acted to [protect, prevent, reduce, support, ensure, remove]
- act to [provide, amend, authorize, follow]
- acted against [her wishes, his will, their instructions]
- acting under [orders, the order of]
- acted under (extreme) [duress, stress]
- acted without [jurisdiction, authority]
- [would, should, could] have acted (sooner)
- the [court, police] acted
- failed to act [on, when]
- his [failure, refusal] to act
- act your age
- he (certainly) acts the part
- acted and [directed, produced, wrote]
- acted in [the movie, a TV show, a play]
- acted [beautifully, skillfully]
- act the [role, part] of
- acting opposite [him, a star]
- act out [the scene, a scene from]
- [son, girl, child, toddler] is acting out
- the [child, student] acted up
- acted up during [class, school, the performance]
- acted up at [school, home]
- [my phone, the printer, gallbladder] is acting up (again)
- [comedy, double, cabaret] act
- is a class act
- was caught in the act (of)
- puts on an act
- it's all an act
- an act of [heroism, love, bravery, aggression, peace]
- an act of sheer [cowardice, stupidity, folly]
- [seen, thought of] as an act of [aggression]
- considered (to be) an act of [aggression]
- an act of [Congress, the courts]
- [recorded, outlined, written] in act [5] (of)
- [in, by] the act of [1955]
- the [freedom, accountability, corporations] act
- the [play, show] has [three] acts
- a play in [three] acts (by)
- at the [end, beginning] of Act [2]
- is a hard act to follow
- am glad I don't have to follow that act
- the act [broke up, went their own ways, split up] in [1999]
'act' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
SAT
- abandon
- absence
- administrator
- adult
- advisory
- affordable
- agent
- aloof
- armor
- backing
- betrayal
- bias
- billing
- born
- bravery
- brazen
- breach
- calm
- casual
- catch
- childish
- clean
- clown
- concert
- courage
- coward
- creepy
- criminal
- curtain
- daring
- deception
- defiance
- desire
- despicable
- deterrent
- discretion
- dismissal
- drag
- dramatic
- drawer
- drop
- eager
- else
- embody
- encore
- environmental
- extraordinary
- fairness
- fit