acted out; acting out; acts out
Definition of act out
1a
: to represent in action
children act out what they read
b
: to translate into action
unwilling to act out their beliefs
2
: to express (something, such as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms
: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (such as fear or frustration)
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for act out
The first known use of act out was circa 1616
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