Synonyms of acted out

acted out

verb

past tense of act out

as in ran riot

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

• ran riot
• disobeyed
• acted up
• carried on
• rebelled
• misconducted
• raised Cain
• misbehaved
• cut up
• showed off
• kidded (around)
• fooled around
• horsed around
• clowned (around)
• roughhoused

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conducted
• obeyed
• acted
• bore
• quit
• acquitted
• deported
• contained
• controlled
• complied
• collected
• composed
• moved
• handled
• checked
• conformed
• inhibited
• constrained
• restrained
• comported
• demeaned
• repressed
• curbed
• quieted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of acted out

During one scene, Einbinder — dressed in a replica of a black dress Gyllenhaal wore in the original film — acted out an explicit orgasm as described in the script, breaking character in the middle of the scene to double over laughing. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 29 July 2026

In the video, Allie dramatically acted out both sides of the conversation, capturing the feeling of trying to extract a straightforward answer from her mom. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Prosecutors alleged that Chow acted out of a false belief that Carmack-Belton had shoplifted four bottles of water from his store. — Jeana Fermi, ABC News, 2 June 2026

This is one of the earliest indicators of emotional intelligence because feelings with names become feelings that can be processed instead of acted out. — Reem Raouda, CNBC, 31 May 2026

Our workshop acted out parts of Shange’s text on the first day of a spring semester class in 2010. — Literary Hub, 29 May 2026

Friends and family say Wright acted out throughout the trial, including missing previous court dates and removing himself from the stand. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

Like other states around the country, Tennessee was closing its public psychiatric hospitals, and mentally ill people who acted out were simply being jailed. — James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

Administration officials have argued Ross acted out of self-defense, alleging Good was impeding federal law enforcement. — Julia Mueller, The Hill, 19 Jan. 2026