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
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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
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Recent Examples of act up
Babies remain the last vestige of scoundrels in sequel terms, so naturally the movie introduces a son to Gru (voiced as usual by Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) who, semi-amusingly, can’t stand his dad, screaming or acting up in some other way every time Gru picks him up.
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Brian Lowry, CNN, 2 July 2024
Nobody's that good an actor to keep this act up for 50 years.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024
The parents of children who act up in the Jersey Shore town of Margate City will be fined this summer for their badly behaved kids.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
In November of last year, the car started acting up — the transmission seemed to have failed after just a few months of ownership.
—Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for act up 
Brian Lowry, CNN, 2 July 2024
Nobody's that good an actor to keep this act up for 50 years.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024
The parents of children who act up in the Jersey Shore town of Margate City will be fined this summer for their badly behaved kids.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
In November of last year, the car started acting up — the transmission seemed to have failed after just a few months of ownership.
—Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for act up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for act up
Verb
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Though no illnesses have been reported so far, the recalling company has acted out of an abundance of caution.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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There are concerns in the law enforcement community that these writings could cause others to act out in a similar capacity, those officials said.NBC News, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The receiver was the one who reacted first to the broken play, cut up the field to find open space and adjusted backward to the ball.Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
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Others were frozen and cut up, their torsos, skull bones, legs and arms leased out to for-profit companies and the military.Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Aaron’s shirtless photo shows off his abs, which were also on display in Kraven the Hunter.Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
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This is an interesting case as many of the initial trailers had very positive ratios, but the more gameplay was shown off and people realized just how much this was a live service looter shooter, fan support evaporated.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Among racing’s many problems is that there are no dedicated air shipping companies that make moving horses around the country easy.John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2024
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Video went viral just days before the beginning of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Dujardin was seen repeatedly whipping a horse around its legs.Scott Thompson, Fox News, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Since regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the extremist group has intensified its oppression of women's rights: extensive censorship, mandatory male guardianship, and burqa/hijab dress-code enforcement that comes with severe penalties for disobeying.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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Despite being threatened to be reported for disobeying his officer’s direct orders to stay sheltered in the ditch, Kohler kept running.Alaa Elassar, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The ruler of Syria, al-Assad is now gone, but in Ukraine and Gaza, the wars still carry on. ’Round most of the world, incumbents lost reelection.Bob Pisani, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
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Carter tried to carry on, but under her glowering gaze seemed to consider his options briefly, and then dutifully complied.George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Despite the cruelty at the heart of his regime, Glinda refuses to rebel against Oz, because his hierarchy is all she’s ever known; the status quo has been good to her.Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
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Joining Beverly Hills and Coronado in rebelling against state housing rules: this blue-collar city.Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near act up
Cite this Entry
“Act up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/act%20up. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
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