How to pronounce act
Say it like AKT. Act is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- AKT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Act pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AKTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of act
American and British speakers say act in essentially the same way: /ækt/ in the US and /ækt/ in the UK.
British respelling: AKT.
What does act mean?
- Something done, a deed.“an act of goodwill”
- Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
- A product of a legislative body, a statute.
- To do something.“If you don’t act soon, you will be in trouble.”
- To perform a theatrical role.“I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre.”
- Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).
Where does act come from?
From Middle English acte, from Old French acte, from Latin ācta (“register of events”), plural of āctum (“decree, law”), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with act
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of act.
Questions about saying act
How do you pronounce act?
Say AKT. The American pronunciation is /ækt/. In British English it is /ækt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in act?
Act is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: AKT.
Do Americans and Brits say act the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ækt/ and the British form is /ækt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.