as in running 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
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Recent Examples of acting out
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
There are also stud shooters for kids who want to get hands-on with acting out an epic battle.
—Kim Snaith, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The plaintiffs claim the administration is acting out of racial animus.
—Miami Herald Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Read on to find out why your child may be acting out, and when to seek help.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 Feb. 2026
The actors joked about how trying to put on medical gloves quickly enough while remembering and acting out dialogue can make scenes go sideways in a heartbeat.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
This world is rarely gentle to people who are hurt, vulnerable, acting out.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Dec. 2025
In October 2015, his mother, Amy, told The New York Times that after his father's death, Davidson began acting out in school and, at one point, ripped all his hair out.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
When school started, the boy's parents quickly became aware their son was having outbursts and acting out physically.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Dec. 2025
Roger Van Zanen, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
There are also stud shooters for kids who want to get hands-on with acting out an epic battle.
—Kim Snaith, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The plaintiffs claim the administration is acting out of racial animus.
—Miami Herald Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Read on to find out why your child may be acting out, and when to seek help.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 Feb. 2026
The actors joked about how trying to put on medical gloves quickly enough while remembering and acting out dialogue can make scenes go sideways in a heartbeat.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
This world is rarely gentle to people who are hurt, vulnerable, acting out.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Dec. 2025
In October 2015, his mother, Amy, told The New York Times that after his father's death, Davidson began acting out in school and, at one point, ripped all his hair out.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
When school started, the boy's parents quickly became aware their son was having outbursts and acting out physically.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acting out
Verb
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Likewise, when the young men started acting up, Josephine Holt took a keen interest in her newspaper.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
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If your trackpad is acting up, keyboard shortcuts can keep you productive without fighting the cursor.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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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The remainder of the trailer flicks at these while carrying on with her suggestion that Erika is up to no good.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What is the penalty for disobeying a traffic signal?—
Emery Glover,
Des Moines Register,
16 Feb. 2026
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The country's Supreme Court of Justice removed him from office in 2017 and sentenced him to prison for disobeying a court order to remove barricades during protests against the government of then-President Nicolás Maduro.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Amid all that, Varsity Blues — about a Texas high-school football team rebelling against its abusive coach and holding on to one last gasp of glory before graduation — got a little lost.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
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In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acting out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acting%20out. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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