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
For the first time, Tindall had to act up without his partner over these past two weeks, with Graeme Jones, his fellow assistant, deputising alongside him.
—
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Is his palm injury acting up again, or the pressure to join the elite company of Jack Nicklaus, who won 3 times at The PLAYERS Championship?
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
Clarke Schmidt’s back acted up, and then his shoulder.
—Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Mount Spurr, located about 75 miles West of Anchorage, has been acting up in recent weeks, prompting officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Volcano Observatory to issue a yellow alert.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Is his palm injury acting up again, or the pressure to join the elite company of Jack Nicklaus, who won 3 times at The PLAYERS Championship?
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
Clarke Schmidt’s back acted up, and then his shoulder.
—Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Mount Spurr, located about 75 miles West of Anchorage, has been acting up in recent weeks, prompting officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Volcano Observatory to issue a yellow alert.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
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Adding a meta layer, when Brazilians see their compatriots act out this complex, preening for attention, this triggers even more chagrin about being Brazilian.—
Shannon Sims,
New Yorker,
30 July 2025
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Instead, face up to the facts and act out of a sense of responsibility.—
Danijela Pilic,
Glamour,
10 July 2025
Verb
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In the meantime, the shark's meat has been cut up, filleted and put in coolers to be shared with friends and family, his wife Cynthia told ABC News.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
7 Aug. 2025
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Fiscally, the bill aimed to provide 39 million households tax cuts up to $3,600 by expanding the Child Tax Credit.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Mattison, the most powerful runner on the team, ripped off a few double-digit gains that showed off his good feet and speed.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
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The soon-to-be mother of three, who is expecting her third baby with partner A$AP Rocky, has been showing off her stellar maternity style throughout her pregnancy.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Running or horsing around with sparklers can also cause injuries and burns when users trip and fall.—
Justin Laube,
EverydayHealth.com,
2 July 2025
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Umberto Rispoli squeezed between horses around the top of the stretch and then rode Journalism to a tremendous rally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Yet, shortly after the district court granted plaintiffs' emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, defendants appear to have disobeyed it.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
8 Aug. 2025
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That is not one, but two Cleons on the run, while the one remaining Cleon is already disobeying Demerzel and is way too close to the Foundation Ambassador (and there’s the whole thing of him being put down in a few days).—
Rafael Motamayor,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Because of blood revenge, there were not many men left, so then a girl was chosen to carry on a male identity.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
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Many still wonder why he was permitted to carry on with his crimes for so long, whether other people who were complicit in them have escaped justice, and how much President Trump may have known while the two were friends.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Spark’s love of high style surely rebelled against the austerity of Protestantism, both in worship and creed.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
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George Washington led troops in the American Revolution and stands for the birth of a representative democracy after rebelling against Britain’s monarchy.—
Lisa Meyers McClintick,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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