: 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)
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 WebFind a family movie favorite and act out your favorite scenes. Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 6 May 2022 And Define Your Needs Most often, people who lose their jobs act out of desperation to quickly find a new one. Heidi Lynne Kurter, Forbes, 1 May 2022 The faithful often act out the events of Good Friday by carrying a large wooden cross and crown of thorns symbolic of the suffering of Christ.al, 15 Apr. 2022 Symptoms vary greatly, but in general, depressed girls may become withdrawn, whereas boys may fight or act out, incurring the label of behavior problem rather than, say, mood disorder.New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022 Larin said a person that intoxicated may not understand instructions correctly and can act out of character. Elisha Anderson, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2022 In 1997, Ingrosso’s dad received a white label promo from a new electronic act out of Paris.SPIN, 3 Mar. 2022 After dividing groups into teams, have each participant write down Bible characters for the other team to act out for their teammates. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 5 May 2022 Now that Lincoln Riley took his act out West things may finally be looking up in Austin. Scooby Axson, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2022 See More