as in to misconduct
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of act out
Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello told jurors that Bushey had a history of acting hostile toward family members and that his sister’s abrupt presence in the home set him off, leading him to act out and her to fear for her safety.
—
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
At these community events, monks and others wear intricate costumes and masks to act out the lore of historical legends.
—Amy Nelson, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2026
Administration officials have argued Ross acted out of self-defense, alleging Good was impeding federal law enforcement.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 18 Jan. 2026
His observations about the barbarity of women’s beauty regimens aren’t exactly new, but they are acted out with enthusiasm and verve.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for act out
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
At these community events, monks and others wear intricate costumes and masks to act out the lore of historical legends.
—Amy Nelson, Twin Cities, 24 Jan. 2026
Administration officials have argued Ross acted out of self-defense, alleging Good was impeding federal law enforcement.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 18 Jan. 2026
His observations about the barbarity of women’s beauty regimens aren’t exactly new, but they are acted out with enthusiasm and verve.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for act out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act out
Verb
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Regulators also reviewed incidents in which the vehicles appeared to disobey traffic control devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 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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Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
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But last week, officials backtracked and announced that INDEC would carry on using the obsolete formula.—
Isabel Debre,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The end of the prohibition came earlier than originally planned as a group of moderate Republicans rebelled against leadership in September, winning a concession to shorten the length of the pause by two months.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
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Certainly heroic for repeatedly rebelling against a murderous regime armed to the teeth.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20out. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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