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
Relevance
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
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 up
Meanwhile, the guests, who have literally just arrived five minutes ago, are already acting up.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Excess dust may also cause your allergies to act up.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Koutouvides transitioned to life after football, found success in real estate development throughout Connecticut, but the pain of losing the Super Bowl twinges and acts up like an old joint injury.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Likewise, when the young men started acting up, Josephine Holt took a keen interest in her newspaper.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for act up
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Excess dust may also cause your allergies to act up.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Koutouvides transitioned to life after football, found success in real estate development throughout Connecticut, but the pain of losing the Super Bowl twinges and acts up like an old joint injury.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Likewise, when the young men started acting up, Josephine Holt took a keen interest in her newspaper.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
-
Friends and family say this isn't the first time in this trial Wright has acted out, from removing himself from the stand to missing court dates.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This reality means that the environmental review angle can be an effective veto over development by NIMBY groups and others acting out of ideological rather than environmentally-conscious concerns.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The new congressional map in Virginia effectively cuts up the state’s 11 House districts to give Democrats an advantage in 10 of them.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Gates Foundation plans to cut up to 500 jobs, or about 20% of its staff, in the coming years as part of a long-term restructuring, as the foundation also undergoes an external review of its ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Diane Kruger shows off the intricate details of her dress at the Tiffany & Co.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The teams are the best from Performance Cheer divisions ages 15 to 18 and show off their precision, artistry and athleticism.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Your brother had similar pressure put on him by the national team after disobeying instructions and speaking out.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 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
-
But Andrew continued to live at the home and was often seen riding his horse around Windsor Great Park and photographed waving to crowds.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bohan carried on that tradition, while also designing two collections a year for Baby Dior, often making miniatures of Elizabeth Taylor’s purchases for her daughter, Liza, which the pair would go out wearing together.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The brick building where the dough was first made is still there today and serves now as a historic site with tours, while Tom Sturgis Pretzels carries on the production aspect of the family business.—
Nikki DeMentri,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
