act out
verb
acted out; acting out; acts out
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
: 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)
Examples of act out in a Sentence
because his parents spent so much time with his chronically ill sister, the boy resorted to acting out in order to get attention
Recent Examples on the Web
Then Bostwick hits the road through November for screenings around the country with live shadow casts of performers acting out the movie in front of the screen.
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
James acts out by angrily finishing the painting of a sign on the Guinness plant wall.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Advocates say the footage undermines claims that agents acted out of fear for their lives, while federal officials insist an ongoing investigation will clarify what happened.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The dysfunctional group dynamic is key to Hallett’s books, whether acted out by a community-theater troupe or the students in a master’s art program.
—Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
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Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
James acts out by angrily finishing the painting of a sign on the Guinness plant wall.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Advocates say the footage undermines claims that agents acted out of fear for their lives, while federal officials insist an ongoing investigation will clarify what happened.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The dysfunctional group dynamic is key to Hallett’s books, whether acted out by a community-theater troupe or the students in a master’s art program.
—Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/act%20out. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
act out
transitive verb
: to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms
act out an adolescent fantasy
: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (as fear or frustration)
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