diff --git a/js/input/SimpleDragHandler.js b/js/input/SimpleDragHandler.js
index a253eed6e..a88a84a00 100644
--- a/js/input/SimpleDragHandler.js
+++ b/js/input/SimpleDragHandler.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     this.lastInterruptedTouchPointer = null;
 
     // @private
-    this.dragStartedEmitter = new Action( function( point, event ) {
+    this.dragStartedAction = new Action( function( point, event ) {
 
       if ( self.dragging ) { return; }
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     }, {
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'dragStartedEmitter' ),
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'dragStartedAction' ),
 
       phetioType: ActionIO(
         [ { name: 'point', type: Vector2IO, documentation: 'the position of the drag start in view coordinates' },
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     } );
 
     // @private
-    this.draggedEmitter = new Action( function( point, event ) {
+    this.draggedAction = new Action( function( point, event ) {
 
       if ( !self.dragging || self.isDisposed ) { return; }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     }, {
       phetioHighFrequency: true,
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'draggedEmitter' ),
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'draggedAction' ),
 
       phetioType: ActionIO(
         [ { name: 'point', type: Vector2IO, documentation: 'the position of the drag in view coordinates' },
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     } );
 
     // @private
-    this.dragEndedEmitter = new Action( function( point, event ) {
+    this.dragEndedAction = new Action( function( point, event ) {
 
       if ( !self.dragging ) { return; }
 
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     }, {
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'dragEndedEmitter' ),
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'dragEndedAction' ),
 
       phetioType: ActionIO(
         [ { name: 'point', type: Vector2IO, documentation: 'the position of the drag end in view coordinates' },
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
       // mouse/touch move
       move: function( event ) {
-        self.draggedEmitter.emit( event.pointer.point, event );
+        self.draggedAction.execute( event.pointer.point, event );
       }
     };
     PhetioObject.call( this, options );
@@ -316,14 +316,14 @@ define( function( require ) {
       assert && assert( 'illegal call to set dragging on SimpleDragHandler' );
     },
     startDrag: function( event ) {
-      this.dragStartedEmitter.emit( event.pointer.point, event );
+      this.dragStartedAction.execute( event.pointer.point, event );
     },
 
     endDrag: function( event ) {
 
       // Signify drag ended.  In the case of programmatically ended drags, signify drag ended at 0,0.
       // see https://github.com/phetsims/ph-scale-basics/issues/43
-      this.dragEndedEmitter.emit( event ? event.pointer.point : Vector2.ZERO, event );
+      this.dragEndedAction.execute( event ? event.pointer.point : Vector2.ZERO, event );
     },
 
     // Called when input is interrupted on this listener, see https://github.com/phetsims/scenery/issues/218
@@ -415,9 +415,9 @@ define( function( require ) {
       this.isDraggingProperty.dispose();
 
       // It seemed without disposing these led to a memory leak in Energy Skate Park: Basics
-      this.dragEndedEmitter.dispose();
-      this.draggedEmitter.dispose();
-      this.dragStartedEmitter.dispose();
+      this.dragEndedAction.dispose();
+      this.draggedAction.dispose();
+      this.dragStartedAction.dispose();
 
       PhetioObject.prototype.dispose.call( this );
 
diff --git a/js/listeners/DragListener.js b/js/listeners/DragListener.js
index 05e0b2394..6acd55dcb 100644
--- a/js/listeners/DragListener.js
+++ b/js/listeners/DragListener.js
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     this._lastInterruptedTouchPointer = null;
 
     // @private {Emitter} - emitted on drag. Used for triggering phet-io events to the data stream, see https://github.com/phetsims/scenery/issues/842
-    this._draggedEmitter = new Action( function( event ) {
+    this._draggedAction = new Action( function( event ) {
 
       // This is done first, before the drag listener is called (from the prototype drag call)
       if ( !self._globalPoint.equals( self.pointer.point ) ) {
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       PressListener.prototype.drag.call( self, event );
     }, {
       phetioFeatured: options.phetioFeatured,
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'draggedEmitter' ),
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'draggedAction' ),
       phetioHighFrequency: true,
       phetioDocumentation: 'Emits whenever a drag occurs with an EventIO argument.',
       phetioReadOnly: options.phetioReadOnly,
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.InputListener( 'DragListener drag' );
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.push();
 
-      this._draggedEmitter.emit( event );
+      this._draggedAction.execute( event );
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     },
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.InputListener( 'DragListener dispose' );
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.push();
 
-      this._draggedEmitter.dispose();
+      this._draggedAction.dispose();
 
       this.detachTransformTracker();
 
diff --git a/js/listeners/PressListener.js b/js/listeners/PressListener.js
index 0b0907b27..d82cad16b 100644
--- a/js/listeners/PressListener.js
+++ b/js/listeners/PressListener.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
   var globalID = 0;
 
   // constants - factored out to reduce memory usage, see https://github.com/phetsims/unit-rates/issues/207
-  var PressedEmitterIO = ActionIO( [
+  var PressedActionIO = ActionIO( [
     { name: 'event', type: EventIO },
     {
       name: 'targetNode',
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     }
   ] );
 
-  var ReleasedEmitterIO = ActionIO( [ {
+  var ReleasedActionIO = ActionIO( [ {
     name: 'event',
     type: NullableIO( EventIO )
   }, {
@@ -233,30 +233,30 @@ define( function( require ) {
       interrupt: this.pointerInterrupt.bind( this )
     };
 
-    // @private {Emitter} - Emitted on press event
-    // The main implementation of "press" handling is implemented as a callback to the emitter, so things are nested
+    // @private {Action} - Executed on press event
+    // The main implementation of "press" handling is implemented as a callback to the Action, so things are nested
     // nicely for phet-io.
-    this._pressedEmitter = new Action( this.onPress.bind( this ), {
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'pressedEmitter' ),
-      phetioDocumentation: 'Emits whenever a press occurs. The first argument when emitting can be ' +
+    this._pressedAction = new Action( this.onPress.bind( this ), {
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'pressedAction' ),
+      phetioDocumentation: 'Executes whenever a press occurs. The first argument when executing can be ' +
                            'used to convey info about the Event.',
       phetioReadOnly: options.phetioReadOnly,
       phetioFeatured: options.phetioFeatured,
       phetioEventType: PhetioObject.EventType.USER,
-      phetioType: PressedEmitterIO
+      phetioType: PressedActionIO
     } );
 
-    // @private {Emitter} - Emitted on release event
-    // The main implementation of "release" handling is implemented as a callback to the emitter, so things are nested
+    // @private {Action} - Executed on release event
+    // The main implementation of "release" handling is implemented as a callback to the Action, so things are nested
     // nicely for phet-io.
-    this._releasedEmitter = new Action( this.onRelease.bind( this ), {
-      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'releasedEmitter' ),
-      phetioDocumentation: 'Emits whenever a release occurs.',
+    this._releasedAction = new Action( this.onRelease.bind( this ), {
+      tandem: options.tandem.createTandem( 'releasedAction' ),
+      phetioDocumentation: 'Executes whenever a release occurs.',
       phetioReadOnly: options.phetioReadOnly,
       phetioFeatured: options.phetioFeatured,
       phetioEventType: PhetioObject.EventType.USER,
 
-      phetioType: ReleasedEmitterIO
+      phetioType: ReleasedActionIO
     } );
 
     // update isOverProperty (not a DerivedProperty because we need to hook to passed-in properties)
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.InputListener( 'PressListener#' + this._id + ' successful press' );
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.push();
-      this._pressedEmitter.emit( event, targetNode || null, callback || null ); // cannot pass undefined into emit call
+      this._pressedAction.execute( event, targetNode || null, callback || null ); // cannot pass undefined into execute call
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
 
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.InputListener( 'PressListener#' + this._id + ' release' );
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.push();
 
-      this._releasedEmitter.emit( event || null, callback || null ); // cannot pass undefined to emit call
+      this._releasedAction.execute( event || null, callback || null ); // cannot pass undefined to execute call
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     },
@@ -767,8 +767,8 @@ define( function( require ) {
       this.a11yClickingProperty.dispose();
       this.looksPressedProperty.dispose();
 
-      this._pressedEmitter.dispose();
-      this._releasedEmitter.dispose();
+      this._pressedAction.dispose();
+      this._releasedAction.dispose();
 
       sceneryLog && sceneryLog.InputListener && sceneryLog.pop();
     }