act out

verb

Definition of act outnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of act out Abarca claimed that White was acting out an ongoing vendetta against him. — Ilana Arougheti july 21, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 And the trailer shows how idyllic the four victims’ college experience was until Bryan Kohberger (who has pled guilty to the murders) seemingly picked them at random to act out his serial-killer obsession. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 July 2026 Whether it’s induced by the unknown or past experiences, dogs may shake, tremble, bark, act out or hide when in distress. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 When a teacher, coach, counselor, pediatrician, or school psychologist sees a boy who is withdrawing, escalating, or acting out, that should prompt care. — Wes Moore, STAT, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for act out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act out
  1. misconduct
  2. disobey
  3. carry on
  4. act up
  5. rebel
Verb
  • In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Definition of misconduct
Verb
  • People don’t do what they’re supposed to, or someone betrays someone else for money or power or spite, or maybe a dragon just disobeys its rider and decides to murder a prince.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Contempt of Congress is a federal misdemeanor in which an individual willfully disobeys or impedes a congressional investigation.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of disobey
Verb
  • Back-to-School Monitor Deals LG 27-Inch Monitor LG monitors don't disappoint, and this 27-inch IPS display carries on that tradition.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But his wife, Ruth, and his 10 children carried on his mission, helping to drill, blast, and push rock off the mountain.
    — John Lauritsen, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of carry on
Verb
  • Powell said the Cru team rarely gets such blowback because of its gentler approach, though the occasional troll will act up.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 July 2026
  • Currently, Screen Time often acts up and just cuts off access to all apps, whether it’s supposed to or not.
    — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026
Definition of act up
Verb
  • Make the first right on the man who permitted the heads of rebelling slaves to be put on stakes and spread across the city in order to prevent the others from getting any ideas.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • When the mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against Putin, in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that then security council chief Nikolai Patrushev, age 75, orchestrated the plane crash that killed the rebel leader.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel

Browse Nearby Words

actors
act out
actress
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Cite this Entry

“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20out. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on act out

Nglish: Translation of act out for Spanish Speakers

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