Definition of act out
transitive verb
1 a
: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
intransitive verb
: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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