Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

act up

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of act up

1 to behave badly
  • The two-year-old was acting up in the store so much that her dad had to take her outside.
Synonyms of act up

act out, carry on, misbehave
Words Related to act up

misconduct

disobey, rebel

clown (around), cut up, fool around, horse around, kid (around)

show off

roughhouse
Phrases Synonymous with act up

raise Cain (or raise hell), run riot
Near Antonyms of act up

obey

acquit, act, bear, comport, conduct, demean, deport, quit

comply, conform

check, collect, compose, constrain, contain, control, curb, handle, inhibit, move, quiet, repress, restrain
2 to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
  • You should have seen the boys acting up when they put on their costumes.
Synonyms of act up

clown (around), cut up, fool around, horse around, hotdog, monkey (around), show off, showboat, skylark
Words Related to act up

carry on, misbehave

roughhouse

caper, cavort, disport, frisk, frolic, gambol, lark, rollick, romp

carouse, revel, roar, wassail

Learn More about act up

  1. See words that rhyme with act up Dictionary: Definition of act up

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up act up? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games