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)
Synonyms of act out
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
The still-living members of the Clyburn family act out their heartbreak in a variety of ways.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, writing and acting out plays about their experiences with type 1 diabetes also eases children’s anxieties around their condition.
—Elizabeth McClure, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards will nevertheless be acting out of an abundance of caution, per Variety.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
But McNicholas said that the department is acting out of concern about public perception and to punish the officers for refusing to remove the plates when asked to do so by their superiors.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for act out
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Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, writing and acting out plays about their experiences with type 1 diabetes also eases children’s anxieties around their condition.
—Elizabeth McClure, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards will nevertheless be acting out of an abundance of caution, per Variety.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
But McNicholas said that the department is acting out of concern about public perception and to punish the officers for refusing to remove the plates when asked to do so by their superiors.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
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 16 Mar. 2026.
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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Merriam-Webster unabridged
