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
The new study explores an entirely different hypothesis: Maybe some bosses act out on purpose.
—
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 June 2025
However, the dog might also be acting out of boredom, using destructive behavior as a coping mechanism.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Someone inevitably ends up acting out a pineapple or accidentally miming their entire life story.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 3 June 2025
On the other hand, those high in attachment-anxiety tend to express distress through passive-aggression or simply acting out — all calls for help that don’t always invite care or safety.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for act out
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Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 June 2025
However, the dog might also be acting out of boredom, using destructive behavior as a coping mechanism.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Someone inevitably ends up acting out a pineapple or accidentally miming their entire life story.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 3 June 2025
On the other hand, those high in attachment-anxiety tend to express distress through passive-aggression or simply acting out — all calls for help that don’t always invite care or safety.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 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 14 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)
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