Meaning
- Underact (verb): To perform or act with less energy, emotion, or intensity than is appropriate or expected. It is often used in theater, film, or performance contexts, but can also be applied figuratively in daily situations.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Verb
- Verb type: Usually intransitive, but can also be transitive in some contexts.
- Forms: underacts, underacting, underacted.
Sentence patterns:
- to underact in a role
- He underacted the part of Hamlet
It is the opposite of overact.
Common Phrases
- underact in a performance
- tend to underact
- deliberately underact
Collocations
- underact in a role
- underact on stage
- underact the part/character
- tend to underact
Examples
- The actor was criticized for underacting in such a dramatic scene.
- She tends to underact when playing emotional characters, making them seem flat.
- The director asked him not to underact, since the audience needed to feel the tension.
- While some prefer natural performances, others feel he always underacts.
- The comedian chose to underact the scene, which made it even funnier.
- In comparison to his co-star’s overacting, he seemed to underact.
- Critics claimed that he underacted the part, missing the emotional depth required.
Synonyms or Related
- Underplay
- Minimize
- Tone down
- Downplay
Antonym
- Overact
- Exaggerate
- Overplay