1
as in to act out
to behave badly
the two-year-old was acting up in church so much that her dad had to take her outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cut up
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
you should have seen the boys acting up when they put on their aprons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of act up
Clarke Schmidt’s back acted up, and then his shoulder.
—
Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Mount Spurr, located about 75 miles West of Anchorage, has been acting up in recent weeks, prompting officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Volcano Observatory to issue a yellow alert.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
The elbows acted up again this past offseason, forcing Stanton to stop swinging a few weeks before reporting to spring training.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
The sisters may have spent weeks teasing the first single off their new album through several funny little videos and familiar-looking album art, but the tell-tale sign of new Haim music is when the weather gets good and people feel like acting up.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Mount Spurr, located about 75 miles West of Anchorage, has been acting up in recent weeks, prompting officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Volcano Observatory to issue a yellow alert.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
The elbows acted up again this past offseason, forcing Stanton to stop swinging a few weeks before reporting to spring training.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
The sisters may have spent weeks teasing the first single off their new album through several funny little videos and familiar-looking album art, but the tell-tale sign of new Haim music is when the weather gets good and people feel like acting up.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
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Puppies often chew shoes to soothe their gums when teething, while dogs lacking physical or mental stimulation may act out to get a reaction.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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These questions are unpleasant to contemplate, but they must be asked: Did Trump act out of envy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military prowess?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Other parts of the plan to cut up to $37 million from TSU's budget include reductions in non-instructional staff that would save $6-7 million and instructional staff cuts that would account for another $5-6 million.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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National media reports in the last few weeks indicated Trump will dissolve the EPA's Office of Research and Development and cut up to 75% of its jobs.—
Scott Wartman,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Simpson took to Instagram to show off her birthday look.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
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Wimbledon was a font of enviable wrist candy again this week, with celebrities showing off some stellar watches courtside.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Running or horsing around with sparklers can also cause injuries and burns when users trip and fall.—
Justin Laube,
EverydayHealth.com,
2 July 2025
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Umberto Rispoli squeezed between horses around the top of the stretch and then rode Journalism to a tremendous rally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Summer classes and programs are still underway in South Florida and the county’s school zone cameras are still active, just waiting to mail you a ticket for disobeying the speed zone.—
Cordell Jones
July 6,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2025
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Her word was law and anyone who disobeyed it was punished.—
Carolyn Wells,
Longreads,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Or even how the sky and its painterly clouds seem to carry on and on in perpetuity.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 July 2025
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Matlock worked with Iggy Pop and Johnny Thunders, while lifelong friends Jones and Cook attempted to carry on together as the Professionals, but struggled to find relevance in the MTV era.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The passage of the 13th Amendment roughly six months later was the final legislation ensuring the freedom of all enslaved African Americans in the nation: both those in rebelling Confederate states and those belonging to the Union.—
Mackenzie Thomas,
The Washington Examiner,
16 June 2025
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But rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers rebelled and Newsom abandoned the effort.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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