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
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
The hourlong descent appeared to go well until the final approach when the laser navigation system began acting up.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for act up
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
The hourlong descent appeared to go well until the final approach when the laser navigation system began acting up.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 6 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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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
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Here, Pulisic cuts up the left channel to offer a destination for a through ball.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The same goes for the other two Corvette concepts GM is expected to show off in 2025.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
7 Apr. 2025
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However, as Wood made the rounds during the show’s nonstop press tour, she’s been able to show off a bit of her personal style.—
Ángela Moreno Vallejo,
Glamour,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, two boys, Frank and Alain, get up to assorted mischief, sneaking onto a baseball diamond at night or horsing around on railroad tracks, although there are hints that Frank’s family may leave Cuba soon.—
Ben Kenigsberg,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 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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After a federal judge ordered the government to respond to the accusation that CBP disobeyed a court order by deporting Alawieh, lawyers from the Justice Department denied the accusation the morning of March 17, court records show.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2025
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Her attorneys argue the government disobeyed the order.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Fast forward to today, and Jonathan is carrying on the family’s tradition of quality craftsmanship — but in an entirely different world and country, his family having moved to America in the late 1970s.—
Kyle J. Russell,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
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Following the passing of Alabama bandmember Jeff Cook in November 2022, Owen and Gentry carry on Alabama’s mission of bringing the group’s music to fans.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Given recent rumors that those in bondage intended to rebel, the delegation accepted his explanation, withdrew and convinced the waiting crowd outside to disperse.—
Andrew Lawler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 Apr. 2025
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Elphaba and Glinda, who spent the first act and film becoming unlikely friends, go their separate ways as Elphaba chooses to rebel against the Wizard and Glinda stays behind.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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