Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for actress. Search instead for Fautress.
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

Vocabulary lists containing actress

And the Oscar Goes to... Award-worthy Words

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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 and CEO of the lifestyle brand Goop launched the delivery and pickup company in 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

However, actress Jennifer English continued her Clair Obscur winning streak by taking home the lead performer award.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

In 2020, the actress and CEO of the lifestyle brand Goop started to plan an all-day brasserie in Brentwood, Calif., the wealthy Los Angeles enclave.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

It's more unusual for a US actress to play the part, but Coward actually based the character on an American he'd met at a dinner party in 1921.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

“Sometimes, Mom, even I’m not a good enough actress to pretend not to notice when Bat is being weird.”

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.