as in to misconduct
to behave badly
because his parents spent so much time with his chronically ill sister, the boy resorted to acting out in order to get attention
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of act out
In one scene, Davion steps into the center of the narrative, literally putting on Lizzie’s shoes, literally, Flood’s character can’t stand to act out a romance with her own father.
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Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
At one point, Swift acted out swooning, possibly in response to something Travis did on the field.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
In order to break free of those constraints, Hedda acts out and becomes an architect of destruction.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 23 Oct. 2025
The Kinahans seemed to be acting out of pure rage.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
At one point, Swift acted out swooning, possibly in response to something Travis did on the field.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
In order to break free of those constraints, Hedda acts out and becomes an architect of destruction.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 23 Oct. 2025
The Kinahans seemed to be acting out of pure rage.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act out
Verb
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Illinois State Police cited him on suspicion of disobeying a police officer – a petty offense punishable by a fine – Cook County court records show, and is scheduled to appear in court November 25.—
Nicquel Terry Ellis,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
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Harvick said the agency gave lawful orders for the crowd to move back, which were disobeyed.—
Daniella Silva,
NBC news,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Coalition members also agreed to carry on with long-term military support for Ukraine and pledged defense cooperation, including training, defense production and intelligence sharing.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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The notebook includes not just copies of letters in the Watkins papers but Virginia’s meticulous record of her fact-checking and her correspondence with Polly about the book’s success, spin-offs, sequels, and other projects carrying on to Polly’s death in 1962.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Its general sensibility seems more Superstore than The Office, down to the interstitial montages of customers acting up in the perpetually overcrowded waiting room.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Oct. 2025
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Sturm said his back started acting up after the team’s first practice.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gardeners, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are rebelling against throwaway culture by ditching disposable gardening.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
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In Spanish Santo Domingo, the first slave society in the Americas, Africans on a sugar plantation owned by Christopher Columbus’s son rebelled on Christmas Day 1521.—
Laurent Dubois,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20out. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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