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- pronunciation:
- aek
sh
 n
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
something that is done, is being done, or will be done.
As president, his first action was an attempt to stabilize the economy.- synonyms:
- act, activity, deed, execution, labor, operation, practice, work
- similar words:
- effort, endeavor, enterprise, feat, move, movement, play, proceeding, process, progress, thing
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| definition 2: |
a movement or series of movements.
The language students are learning words for various actions such as jumping, waving, pointing, and skipping.Actions of the body combine with speech to communicate meaning. |
| definition 3: |
vigorous activity.
It was a slow first half with very little action in the game.- synonyms:
- activity, energy, excitement, force
- similar words:
- adventure, dash, intensity, movement, snap, vigor, vim, vitality, zing
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| definition 4: |
(usu. pl.) manner of behaving or conducting oneself.
As a teacher, her actions were not acceptable.- synonyms:
- behavior, comportment, conduct, deeds, demeanor, port
- similar words:
- bearing, manner, mien, posture
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| definition 5: |
the manner of a mechanism's moving or operating, or the mechanism itself.
The action of the clock fascinated the little boy.- synonyms:
- functioning, mechanism, motion, movement, operation
- similar words:
- act, apparatus, behavior, engine, gear, performance, play
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| definition 6: |
effect.
Scientists are still studying the action of the drug on the body.- synonyms:
- effect, force, impact
- similar words:
- efficacy, influence, operation, result, work
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| definition 7: |
a legal proceeding wherein one party demands its right or claims that wrong has been done by another party; a lawsuit.
Why are the workers initiating this action against the owners at this time?- synonyms:
- case, proceeding, suit
- similar words:
- cause, lawsuit, prosecution
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| definition 8: |
military conflict; fighting.
Action was heavy during the first day of battle.- synonyms:
- battle, combat, conflict, fighting
- similar words:
- engagement, fray, warfare
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| related words: |
achievement, campaign, deed, effect, exercise, exploit, front, invasion, measure, motion, occurrence, turn, working |
adjective + (n.)action
accountable,
administrative,
affirmative,
aggressive,
appropriate,
bold,
civic,
civil,
collective,
concerted,
concrete,
congressional,
continuous,
corrective,
covert,
decisive,
direct,
disciplinary,
drastic,
evasive,
governmental,
heroic,
hostile,
immediate,
judicial,
legal,
legislative,
military,
offensive,
political,
pre-emptive,
preventive,
proposed,
punitive,
reasoned,
regulatory,
remedial,
responsible,
ritual,
swift,
symbolic,
terrorist,
unilateral,
urgent,
violent,
voluntary
[See all][See only the most frequent]
verb + (n.)action
authorize, condemn, contemplate, coordinate, defend, delay, file, initiate, justify, motivate, prompt, spring, spur, take, translate, undertake, warrant
noun + (n.)action
affirmative, bolt, consequence, course, enforcement, justification, nuisance, plaintiff, responsibility
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| derivation: |
actionless (adj.) |
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commitments to action |
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agreement, guarantee, pledge, promise |
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postponing actions |
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defer, delay, postpone, procrastinate, stall |
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reasons for actions |
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policy, precedent, principle, purpose |
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some kinds of actions |
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accidental, careful, deft, deliberate, intentional, involuntary, steady |
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some things that cause action |
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command, direction, order, pressure, spur, stimulus |
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some things that hinder action |
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arrest, ban, block, detention, embargo, taboo |
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some things that regulate action |
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law, rule |
The word action
contains the following parts:
act, ag
Latin
root
that means do, drive
  Example words:
action, activate, active, actively, activist, activity, actor, actress, actual, agency, agenda, agent, agile, agitate, enact, hyperactive, interact, interaction, interactive, radioactive, react, reaction, reactor, reagent, retroactive, transact, transaction
-ion
Latin
noun-forming suffix
that means the act, process, or result of
More about this word part:
The suffix -ion
attaches to bases that are Latin verb stems ending in s or t.
Example words:
ablation, abrasion, accession, action, addiction, addition, admission, adoption, affection, affliction, aggression, ambition, attention, audition, commission, commissioner, compassion, compassionate, conclusion, condition, confusion, congestion, construction, direction, diction, dictionary, exclusion, expedition, fusion, illusion, immersion, incision, interaction, inquisition, mission, nation, omission, passion, passionate, permission, prediction, prescription, question, reaction, reflection, rendition, revolution, satisfaction, section, session, solution, television, transaction
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