# act upon

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/act-upon
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to do something because of another person's advice, information, or request.

For teachers: to take action as a direct result of information received or a suggestion made; often used in formal or professional contexts.

## Examples

- The police act upon the tip they received.
- The board of directors decided to act upon the consultant's recommendations to improve efficiency.
- The government failed to act upon the urgent warnings issued by climate scientists regarding the rising sea levels in coastal regions.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He acted upon to the advice." but "He acted upon the advice." — the verb is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun representing information, such as 'advice', 'orders', or 'evidence'.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'act on', which is a more common and slightly less formal synonym; 'act upon' is frequently found in legal or official reports.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.