<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001063083-03-000006
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031219
<FILING-DATE>20031219
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ACACIA RESEARCH CORP
<CIK>0000934549
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3670
<IRS-NUMBER>954405754
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>500 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE
<STREET2>7TH FLOOR
<CITY>NEWPORT BEACH
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92660
<PHONE>9494808300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>500 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE
<STREET2>#
<CITY>NEWPORT BEACH
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92660
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>RYAN PAUL R
<CIK>0001063083
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26068
<FILM-NUMBER>031065906
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION
<STREET2>500 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, 7TH FLOOR
<CITY>NEWPORT BEACH
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92660
<PHONE>949 480-8300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION
<STREET2>500 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, 7TH FLOOR
<CITY>NEWPORT BEACH
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92660
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000934549</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACACIA RESEARCH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBMX/ACTG</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001063083</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RYAN PAUL R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>500 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>7TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWPORT BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92660</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman &amp; CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Acacia Research-CombiMatrix Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>181881</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Acacia Research-CombiMatrix Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Acacia Research-Acacia Technologies Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>440987</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Acacia Research-Acacia Technologies Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Gift to daughter who shares reporting person's household.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by his daughter, and this report should not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of his daughter's shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. </footnote><footnote id="F2">Gift</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Paul R. Ryan</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
