as in to raise hell
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 act out
On Thursday, May 15, the proud mom of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, shared a hilarious TikTok video with her pregnant daughter-in-law Olivia Culpo, acting out a scene using an audio clip from TLC's 1000-lb Sisters.
—
Kayla Grant, People.com, 16 May 2025
Scenarios are acted out involving a rabbit who enjoys frequenting the circus and a ticket-taker bear who relishes enforcing the rules with all his brutal might.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
Prosecutors told the court that Vallow Daybell had acted out of self-interest, not self-preservation, with plans to cash in on her estranged husband’s $1 million life insurance policy.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
In February 2022, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff rejected Palin's claims in a ruling issued while a jury deliberated, saying Palin had failed to show that the Times had acted out of malice, something required in libel lawsuits involving public figures.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Kayla Grant, People.com, 16 May 2025
Scenarios are acted out involving a rabbit who enjoys frequenting the circus and a ticket-taker bear who relishes enforcing the rules with all his brutal might.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
Prosecutors told the court that Vallow Daybell had acted out of self-interest, not self-preservation, with plans to cash in on her estranged husband’s $1 million life insurance policy.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
In February 2022, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff rejected Palin's claims in a ruling issued while a jury deliberated, saying Palin had failed to show that the Times had acted out of malice, something required in libel lawsuits involving public figures.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act out
Verb
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The Captain made the decision to go rogue and return to shore, disobeying the orders of corporate.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
16 May 2025
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The driver was issued a citation for disobeying the crossing gates, Pieritz said.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
Verb
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The Five Stripes will look to carry on that form against Orlando, but the Lions will not be taking this matchup lightly.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
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The audience was small, and for a portion of its run the show was carried on PBS—awkward, since its host was generally an opponent of government spending.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
Verb
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For the first time, Tindall had to act up without his partner over these past two weeks, with Graeme Jones, his fellow assistant, deputising alongside him.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Is his palm injury acting up again, or the pressure to join the elite company of Jack Nicklaus, who won 3 times at The PLAYERS Championship?—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Its stories about an amateur tennis pro from a low-to-middle class family and his relationship with an artist looking to rebel against her family’s upper-class attitudes took advantage of their youthful vision to tell more stories about their parents’ lack of ambition.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
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Related article Mavericks fans rebelled after Luka Dončić was traded.—
Matias Grez,
CNN Money,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20out. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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