1
as in acts 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 cuts 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acts up
Verb
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Traditional methods might overlook the quiet student who won’t ask for help or the struggling reader who acts out to hide their difficulty grasping the words.—
Haozhen Yang,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025 -
As an Argentinian prisoner with a high-wattage flare for storytelling, Tonatiuh acts out the life and work of his favorite silver screen diva La Luna (Jennifer Lopez) to bond with his radical cellmate (Diego Luna).—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams shows off some Taco Bell goodies.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
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Next to the arm, an ankle — where Umansky is tagged — shows off a tattoo with four thin black lines.—
Emy LaCroix,
People.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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“Acts up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acts%20up. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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