1
as in acting 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 cutting 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 acting up
Baye continued acting up until 2023.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The black flies are not the only troublesome creature acting up during the unseasonably warm weather.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Intel’s representative explained that the Intel team has pushed this to extremes in testing—their vPro team even challenged each other, successfully, to try to access a troubled machine that was acting up on a flight, over airplane Wi-Fi!
—John Burek, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Bruce, as the stunt shark built to menace them is nicknamed, is acting up and delaying the acting itself.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the guests, who have literally just arrived five minutes ago, are already acting up.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Likewise, when the young men started acting up, Josephine Holt took a keen interest in her newspaper.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
If your trackpad is acting up, keyboard shortcuts can keep you productive without fighting the cursor.
—Ken Colburn, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The black flies are not the only troublesome creature acting up during the unseasonably warm weather.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Intel’s representative explained that the Intel team has pushed this to extremes in testing—their vPro team even challenged each other, successfully, to try to access a troubled machine that was acting up on a flight, over airplane Wi-Fi!
—John Burek, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Bruce, as the stunt shark built to menace them is nicknamed, is acting up and delaying the acting itself.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the guests, who have literally just arrived five minutes ago, are already acting up.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Likewise, when the young men started acting up, Josephine Holt took a keen interest in her newspaper.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
If your trackpad is acting up, keyboard shortcuts can keep you productive without fighting the cursor.
—Ken Colburn, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting up
Verb
-
This natural state of paralysis prevents the body from physically acting out dreams, which could otherwise lead to injury, Drerup explained.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
In response, staff proposed cutting up to five meetings per commission in the next fiscal year, along with other cost-saving measures such as freezing community ambassador stipends, to help close the city’s projected $66 million budget gap.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
-
Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
This, of course, not being the 50-year ban that actually set women’s football back years, but Everton Women carrying on-loan Manchester United full-back Hannah Blundell out in a suitcase-cum-coffin before their World Sevens semi-final against United on Saturday and resurrecting her.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Its all-metal build is significant in competing with the Neo and carrying on the XPS build quality in a less expensive machine.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
1 June 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
-
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
-
Jakubowski faces charges of second-degree reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor, reckless driving, interfering with an officer, improper use of maker plates, possession of drug paraphernalia, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to maintain the proper lane.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
-
Icarus disobeying his father Daedalus and flying too close to the sun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
These pants sit high on the waist, creating a leg-lengthening effect, and the side slits at the hem are perfect for showing off your Cushionaire sandals.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
-
The blouse’s soft, seamless V-neckline is ideal for showing off pretty necklaces, too.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acting up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting%20up. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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