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
Donning a tuxedo and top hat, Kelce acted out the role of someone trying to get Swift to continue the show and at one point picked her up and carried her onto a couch.
—
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
They were dressed up as staff members, acting out different roles in the hotels' operations when Del Rey said a woman approached them.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 29 June 2024
Nicole O’Donnell, PhD, an assistant professor at Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, agrees that a change in routine as summer kicks off can lead to restlessness, acting out, and more arguments.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 29 June 2024
After acting out Boggs’ manuscript for Timothy, the Bouchard girls decide to use AI to make a picture book based on the story.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for act out 
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
They were dressed up as staff members, acting out different roles in the hotels' operations when Del Rey said a woman approached them.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 29 June 2024
Nicole O’Donnell, PhD, an assistant professor at Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, agrees that a change in routine as summer kicks off can lead to restlessness, acting out, and more arguments.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 29 June 2024
After acting out Boggs’ manuscript for Timothy, the Bouchard girls decide to use AI to make a picture book based on the story.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for act out
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'act out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Act out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/act%20out. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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)
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