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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as in carouser
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cut up
Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
Superintendent Howard Hepburn will be expected to cut up to 1,000 jobs not just this year, but the following two years as well, under action the Broward School Board approved on Tuesday.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cut up
Verb
The Broward County School Board voted to direct the superintendent to develop a plan to cut up to 3,000 jobs over three years.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
Superintendent Howard Hepburn will be expected to cut up to 1,000 jobs not just this year, but the following two years as well, under action the Broward School Board approved on Tuesday.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
There is a video cutup that has frequented social media over the last year featuring all of Edwards’ missed shots at the end of close games.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cut up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut up
Verb
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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
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Meanwhile, the guests, who have literally just arrived five minutes ago, are already acting up.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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By the time deputies made their way down the long driveway off Lost Creek Road to the house Tony once shared with his father, the onetime jokester and basketball player had lost all sense of reality.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
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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
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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The fairy-tale qualities continue as Betty shows off the contents of her bedraggled herb garden to her new ward, plucking out an edible flower for Laura to sample.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
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Baseball The versatile Anthony Murphy of Corona showed off his speed and power in 8-3 win over King, getting a home run, triple, double and single.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Troup’s father, Guppy Troup, is in the PBA Hall of Fame, and was a renowned party animal in his prime.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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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
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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But Andrew continued to live at the home and was often seen riding his horse around Windsor Great Park and photographed waving to crowds.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ulmen has been a household name in Germany for decades, first as a MTV VJ, then as a comedian and actor on hit series including Jerks and crime procedural Tatort, and in films, including Berlin Blues (2003), and Maria, ihm schmeckt’s nicht!—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
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Actor and comedian Jack Black, along with musical guest Jack White, is poised to welcome audiences back with a Jack-on-Jack meeting.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Cut up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut%20up. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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