as in to act up
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
high-spirited cousins who cut up at every family gathering
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
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as in carouser
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of cut up
Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 1 Feb. 2026
Options laid out in an Interior Department study of new operating rules absent a seven-state solution envision Lower Basin cuts up to twice what the Southwestern states have suggested.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 31 Jan. 2026
David Aldridge, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
Apparently all-in on Reynolds, Hollywood is now reasoning that his star power — some chemically adhesive combination of dashing leading man, comic-relief cutup, and lifestyle mogul — will prove irresistible regardless of the context.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for cut up
Verb
Cleaning and Organizational Supplies Keep an eye out for unused kitchen linens and old beach towels that can be cut up and used as rags.
—Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 1 Feb. 2026
Options laid out in an Interior Department study of new operating rules absent a seven-state solution envision Lower Basin cuts up to twice what the Southwestern states have suggested.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
Martinez was looking at cutups Monday morning of 6-6, 20-year-old right-hander Travis Sykora, Washington’s third-round pick in 2023, who’s coming on, uh, quickly.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
Apparently all-in on Reynolds, Hollywood is now reasoning that his star power — some chemically adhesive combination of dashing leading man, comic-relief cutup, and lifestyle mogul — will prove irresistible regardless of the context.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for cut up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut up
Verb
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Excess dust may also cause your allergies to act up.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Koutouvides transitioned to life after football, found success in real estate development throughout Connecticut, but the pain of losing the Super Bowl twinges and acts up like an old joint injury.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sam, meanwhile, was a jokester much of the time but took his pilot training seriously.—
Emma Hurt,
AJC.com,
19 Feb. 2026
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Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Take William Shakespeare, who is often portrayed as a carouser, downing pints while exchanging barbs with his fellow writers, cheating on his wife with both men and women, passionately engaging his quill to reimagine the very nature of the human being.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In a show of power, the cartel frequently releases images of its members showing off weapons and armored vehicles.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
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Also on Wednesday, Samsung is hosting a big event in San Francisco where it’s expected to show off its latest Galaxy smartphones and other goodies ahead of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The couple fought about money, household chores, and Anton's alleged reputation as a party animal.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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The legendary nightlife scene in Belgrade, Serbia, is the recommendation for party animals in Europe.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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And with the release of Live at the Palace, there’s a clear part of Fleming that hopes to show other comedians a way to live with the reactions of online hordes, without letting the fear of them change their work.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
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In 2023, the comedian and actor married creative executive Jennifer Herrera and adopted her young daughter, Cornelia.—
Eric Ducker,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bella Ramsey takes a break from killing zombies and avenging father figures, their usual pastimes in series The Last of Us, to fool around and fall in love in Sunny Dancer, a decidedly uneven but fitfully charming, YA-skewed British comedy-drama.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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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
“Cut up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut%20up. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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