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Definitions

act out

VERB
act up
Synonyms
WEAK
carry on raise hell rebel sow one's wild oats
VERB
act up (misbehave)
Synonyms
WEAK
be bad be out of line behave badly carry on fool around horseplay make trouble misbehave rebel set a bad example show off
Antonyms
WEAK
behave
VERB
gesture/gesticulate
Synonyms
WEAK
flag indicate mime pantomime signal signalize use one's hands use sign language wave
Antonyms
WEAK
speak
VERB
impersonate
Synonyms
STRONGEST
act like imitate masquerade as mimic portray pose as
STRONG
act ape ditto do enact fake mirror perform personate play playact represent
WEAK
act a part assume character do an impression of double as dress as make like pass oneself off as play a role put on an act take the part of
Antonyms
STRONG
direct fail halt idle prevent stop
WEAK
be original differ oppose reverse
VERB
perform
Synonyms
STRONGEST
display execute give go on offer play present produce represent show stage
STRONG
discourse dramatize emote enact exhibit ham impersonate personate playact render
WEAK
appear as be on bring down the house do a number do a turn ham it up put on tread the boards
Antonyms
STRONGEST
abandon conceal deny hide refrain refuse take withhold
STRONG
fail
WEAK
direct halt prevent stop
VERB
personify
Synonyms
STRONGEST
embody epitomize exemplify illustrate incarnate manifest symbolize typify
STRONG
contain copy express exteriorize externalize humanize image imitate impersonate materialize mirror objectify substantiate
WEAK
body forth emblematize hominify live as make human personize
Antonyms
STRONGEST
obscure
STRONG
be original differ oppose reverse
VERB
signalize
Synonyms
STRONG
flag gesticulate indicate mime motion pantomime sign signal wave
WEAK
give the high sign use one's hands use sign language

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Some of her middle school students are unafraid to initiate conversations about immigration enforcement, she said, while others keep their feelings to themselves or act out.

From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026

Instead, they seem to have a spirit of “I’m so upset, I have a right to act out due to my sharper sense of injustice.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Players roll a dice to move their pawns across the board, with each landing spot corresponding to cards containing questions or instructions to act out disaster-specific responses.

From Barron's • Dec. 29, 2025

"He started to act out because he doesn't think it's fair that he's been kept in there that long, so that's had an impact on his behaviour."

From BBC • Sep. 14, 2025

Cordelia wants us to act out plays, with her dining room and its curtain for the stage.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood