act out
verb
acted out; acting out; acts out
1
a
: to represent in action
children act out what they read
b
: to translate into action
unwilling to act out their beliefs
2
: to express (something, such as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms
: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (such as fear or frustration)
Examples of act out in a Sentence
because his parents spent so much time with his chronically ill sister, the boy resorted to acting out in order to get attention
Recent Examples on the Web
Comments Midway through season 6 of Boy Meets World, Rider Strong recalls feeling tired of acting out dramatic storylines for his character Shawn Hunter.
—
Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 21 June 2025
Hoyer could be acting out of self-preservation at the deadline of what might be his final shot in Chicago.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2025
Using a game like D&D as the rules to provide an engine for an adventure, players and their DM improvise and act out a story together.
—James Grebey, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Nobody was outrageous or acting out or anything like that.
—David Chiu, People.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 21 June 2025
Hoyer could be acting out of self-preservation at the deadline of what might be his final shot in Chicago.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2025
Using a game like D&D as the rules to provide an engine for an adventure, players and their DM improvise and act out a story together.
—James Grebey, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Nobody was outrageous or acting out or anything like that.
—David Chiu, People.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/act%20out. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
act out
transitive verb
: to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms
act out an adolescent fantasy
: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (as fear or frustration)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share