1
as in to act out
to behave badly
the two-year-old was acting up in church so much that her dad had to take her outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cut up
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
you should have seen the boys acting up when they put on their aprons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of act up
The resident followed this act up by going back inside and reemerging with a rifle, Evans said.
—
Timia Cobb
breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood weren’t afraid to act up on Friday night.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Jan. 2026
And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
But if your transmission acts up or your steering system goes haywire, car insurance won't help you.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Timia Cobb
breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood weren’t afraid to act up on Friday night.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Jan. 2026
And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
But if your transmission acts up or your steering system goes haywire, car insurance won't help you.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
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Fleming acts out each detail with gusto, and this full sensory barrage earns him his loudest round of applause yet.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
19 Feb. 2026
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Emotional humans acting out conflicts will never be able to operate a society that values life, liberty and the pursuit of universal happiness.—
Roger Van Zanen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
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Such a potato is cut up into sections, each having a sprout or two.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Embroidered black flowers and vines on the jacket added a dash of Goth, while the cropped trousers showed off a pair of suede kitten-heel boots.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Adam Brody showed off the elegant Cartier Tank à Guichets that debuted at Watches and Wonders last year.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
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In the internal report, an ICE agent wrote that Martinez appeared intoxicated or impaired and disobeyed verbal instructions to stop and exit his vehicle.—
Bayliss Wagner,
San Antonio Express-News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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In April 2020, Iglesias shared a video of him horsing around with Lucy and Nicholas as the pair attempted to climb on his back for a ride.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For now, retailers who sell kratom products are simply carrying on until they’re investigated by county health inspectors.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Gavalas went to the location, and the bot carried on the fiction.—
Brittany Wallman
Updated March 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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