1
as in to act 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 to cut 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
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Recent Examples of act up
The sisters may have spent weeks teasing the first single off their new album through several funny little videos and familiar-looking album art, but the tell-tale sign of new Haim music is when the weather gets good and people feel like acting up.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
In recent weeks, we are told that Phillips has at points been acting up for Moore after Moore broke her ankle while skiing, and she is understood to have been dipping her toe into drama.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025
This includes Isla having to do damage control when the team’s star acts up off the court, and dealing with an overbearing parent of a player.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025
Her pain can act up suddenly and seemingly comes without rhyme or reason.
—Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
In recent weeks, we are told that Phillips has at points been acting up for Moore after Moore broke her ankle while skiing, and she is understood to have been dipping her toe into drama.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025
This includes Isla having to do damage control when the team’s star acts up off the court, and dealing with an overbearing parent of a player.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025
Her pain can act up suddenly and seemingly comes without rhyme or reason.
—Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
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His days are spent either sitting sadly on Iris’ bed with literal hangdog eyes or acting out and destroying things in her apartment.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Twin Cities,
2 Apr. 2025
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But most small children eventually outgrow the impulse to act out.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Consider cutting up their food or serving easy-to-eat foods like smoothies.—
Smita Patel,
Verywell Health,
15 Apr. 2025
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Skrillex has never restricted his distension of sonic materials to merely supersizing his bass lines, and among other things, the voices on this album are routinely phased and retuned and cut up.—
Michaelangelo Matos,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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From Viktor Hovland's wild looks with J. Lindeberg to Jason Day and Malbon, brands love to show off their spring outfits at Augusta National.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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During the broadcast, Ripa also showed off a photo that didn't make the cut.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Quit horsing around — the Clydesdales are back!—
Breanne L. Heldman,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
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In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Ben Warren is also trying to win back Teddy’s confidence after disobeying her orders during the heat wave.—
Laura Bradley,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
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Pike faced a momentous decision: follow orders to retreat, or disobey them to rescue his crew.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The 2009 Tiger Woods cheating scandal The scandal, which broke in 2009, revealed that Woods had been carrying on multiple affairs, including with Uchitel, while married to his then-wife Elin Nordegren.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
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But the symbol has relevance today as the conflict between Israel-Hamas carries on.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Democrats believe the rebelling conservatives will fold in the end.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
8 Apr. 2025
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Broad stock indexes have now erased their post-electoral gains as investors rebel against the prospect of higher costs.—
Rob Wile,
NBC News,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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