underact

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un·der·act

(ŭn′dər-ăkt′)

v. un·der·act·ed, un·der·act·ing, un·der·acts

v.tr.

To perform (a theatrical role) weakly, with insufficient expressiveness, or with intentionally understated expressiveness.

v.intr.

To perform in an understated or unemotional way.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

underact

(ˌʌndərˈækt)

(Theatre) theatre to play (a role) without adequate emphasis. Compare overact

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•der•play

(ˌʌn dərˈpleɪ, ˈʌn dərˌpleɪ)

v.t.

1. to play (a part or scene) subtly and with restraint.

2. to play (a part) sketchily.

3. to understate or de-emphasize; downplay.

v.i.

4. to underplay a part or scene.

[1725–35]

underact

Past participle: underacted
Gerund: underacting

Imperative
underact
underact

Present
I underact
you underact
he/she/it underacts
we underact
you underact
they underact

Preterite
I underacted
you underacted
he/she/it underacted
we underacted
you underacted
they underacted

Present Continuous
I am underacting
you are underacting
he/she/it is underacting
we are underacting
you are underacting
they are underacting

Present Perfect
I have underacted
you have underacted
he/she/it has underacted
we have underacted
you have underacted
they have underacted

Past Continuous
I was underacting
you were underacting
he/she/it was underacting
we were underacting
you were underacting
they were underacting

Past Perfect
I had underacted
you had underacted
he/she/it had underacted
we had underacted
you had underacted
they had underacted

Future
I will underact
you will underact
he/she/it will underact
we will underact
you will underact
they will underact

Future Perfect
I will have underacted
you will have underacted
he/she/it will have underacted
we will have underacted
you will have underacted
they will have underacted

Future Continuous
I will be underacting
you will be underacting
he/she/it will be underacting
we will be underacting
you will be underacting
they will be underacting

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been underacting
you have been underacting
he/she/it has been underacting
we have been underacting
you have been underacting
they have been underacting

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been underacting
you will have been underacting
he/she/it will have been underacting
we will have been underacting
you will have been underacting
they will have been underacting

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been underacting
you had been underacting
he/she/it had been underacting
we had been underacting
you had been underacting
they had been underacting

Conditional
I would underact
you would underact
he/she/it would underact
we would underact
you would underact
they would underact

Past Conditional
I would have underacted
you would have underacted
he/she/it would have underacted
we would have underacted
you would have underacted
they would have underacted

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Verb

underact - act (a role) with great restraint

underplay

dramatic art, dramaturgy, theater, theatre, dramatics - the art of writing and producing plays

playact, roleplay, act, play - perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"

ham, ham it up, overact, overplay - exaggerate one's acting

Translations

underact

[ˈʌndərˈækt] VI → no dar de sí, hacer un papel sin el debido brío

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

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