Act
Act noun - A display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive.
Usage example: was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing
Show is a synonym for act in pretence topic. In some cases you can use "Show" instead the word "Act" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like performance, showing, honest, pretended behavior.
Show
Show noun - An outward and often exaggerated indication of something abstract (as a feeling) for effect.
Usage example: the children made a show of disgust when confronted with asparagus
Act is a synonym for show in honest topic. Sometimes you can use "Act" instead the word "Show" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as entertainment event.
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| live | live act | live show |
| old | old act | old show |
| good | good act | good show |
| musical | musical act | musical show |
| Other adjectives: best, similar, original, single, popular, actual, entire, real, successful, great, little, main, new, final, next, last, said. | ||
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
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It follows Herc as he tries to clean up his act and show the world the reason he's THE archtype of Heroes.
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Sonic and his friends (especially Shadow and Rouge) are significantly de-flanderized compared to the show and act more like their game counterparts than the ones from Sonic X.
Source: Flanderization -
Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Usually representatives will forget this is a "What If" entertainment show and act like it's an actual life-or-death contests.
Source: Series / Deadliest Warrior
Cite this Source
Show and Act. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/show
Act & Show. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/show>.
Show or Act. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/show.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "act" and "show" have occurred on timeline