act out

verb

acted out; acting out; acts out

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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)

Synonyms

• act up
• carry on
• misbehave

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

Agatha, meanwhile, stays in Westview, acting out various television plots. —Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024

Other parts of Eliza’s monologue were acted out by a violinist and the model Lily Cole. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 13 Sep. 2024

For instance, a lover could act out of character and cause an explosive fight or a bad report comes to you in regards to one of your children. —Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2024

Trust is built when partners feel secure that the other is acting out of genuine care, not obligation. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

act out

verb

1

: to represent in action

children act out what they read

2

: to behave badly especially as a way of letting out painful emotions

Medical Definition

act out

transitive verb

(ˈ)akt-ˈau̇t 

: to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms

act out an adolescent fantasy

intransitive verb

: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (as fear or frustration)