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Synonyms

actress

American  
[ak-tris] / ˈæk trɪs /

noun

  1. a woman who acts in stage plays, motion pictures, television broadcasts, etc., especially professionally.


actress British  
/ ˈæktrɪs /

noun

  1. a woman who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc

  2. informal a woman who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Use of the word actress to refer to a female who acts is old-fashioned. The modern gender-neutral form is actor

Gender

What's the difference between actress and actor? See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of actress

First recorded in 1580–90; act(o)r + -ess

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The actress, from London, has also been in a number of TV series and plays.

From BBC

Swift does not appear in the video, instead compiling a "supercut" of scenes from the late actress's films, alongside archive clips and newsreels showing the star being hounded by paparazzi.

From BBC

After finding a listing for the Westchester house online, the actress said she was immediately drawn to the home in a “spiritual” way.

From MarketWatch

David Hare, who directed Hurt in “The Secret Rapture,” described her as “a fine ensemble actress” to the New York Times in 1989.

From Los Angeles Times

Filming on the new Tomb Raider series has been paused after actress Sophie Turner sustained an injury, the show's bosses have confirmed.

From BBC