Action definition

Action as a noun

1. something done (usually as opposed to something said)

   "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions"

2. the state of being active

   "he is out of action"

   Same sense: activity, activeness

3. a military engagement

   "he saw action in Korea"

   Same sense: military action

4. a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)

   "the action of natural forces"

   Same sense: natural process, natural action, activity

5. the series of events that form a plot

   "his novels always have a lot of action"

6. the trait of being active and energetic and forceful

   "a man of action"

7. the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism

   "the piano had a very stiff action"

   Same sense: action mechanism

8. a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong

   Same sense: action at law, legal action

9. an act by a government body or supranational organization

   "recent federal action undermined the segregationist position"

10. the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field

    "the action is no longer in technology stocks but in municipal bonds"

11. In firearms terminology, the mechanism that handles the ammunition (loads, locks, fires, and extracts the cartridges).

    "Actions can be categorized in several ways, including single action versus double action, break action versus bolt action, and others."

Action as a verb

12. institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

    "She actioned the company for discrimination"

    Same sense: process, sue, litigate

13. put in effect

    "He actioned the operation"

    Same sense: carry out, carry through, accomplish, execute, fulfill, fulfil

Synonyms and antonyms

• activity
• activeness
• military action
• natural process
• natural action
• action mechanism
• action at law
• legal action
• process definition
• sue
• litigate
• carry out
• carry through
• accomplish
• execute
• fulfill
• fulfil

Opposite: inaction.

All synonyms of action, sense by sense

How to say action

Action has 2 syllables and rhymes with reaction. Syllable counts and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary.

Words that rhyme with action

• reaction
• interaction
• transaction
• satisfaction
• attraction
• fraction
• extraction
• faction
• traction
• distraction
• contraction
• dissatisfaction

All 21 words that rhyme with action

ACTION in word games

Scrabble

8

Words With Friends

10

Anagrams

2

Is ACTION a valid Scrabble word? Yes, it is in the ENABLE list most word games use. Check ACTION in the word checker, or unscramble ACTION to see its 2 anagrams and the shorter words in its letters.