ACTED UP Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

acted up

verb

past tense of act up

as in acted 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in 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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of acted up And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acted up

Verb

During one scene, Einbinder — dressed in a replica of a black dress Gyllenhaal wore in the original film — acted out an explicit orgasm as described in the script, breaking character in the middle of the scene to double over laughing.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
In the video, Allie dramatically acted out both sides of the conversation, capturing the feeling of trying to extract a straightforward answer from her mom.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Definition of acted out

Verb

Sporting Kansas City joined the vanquished Galaxy and Real Salt Lake on Saturday as LAFC cut up the last-place team in the Western Conference, 4-0.

— Josh Gross, Daily News, 26 July 2026
Use leftover cheese scraps, cut up, in pasta salad, melted in macaroni and cheese, or add to snack boxes.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2026

Definition of cut up

Verb

Ulysses expresses sorrowful regret for having disobeyed Zeus’ Law – essentially the Golden Rule – in sacking Troy.

— Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026
However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.

— R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026

Definition of disobeyed

Verb

At a military parade in Beijing last fall, China showed off a dizzying amount of new missiles, including a range of hypersonic vehicles, that many analysts say put the PLA at the forefront of that technology.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
In a photo posted to her Instagram account on August 8, the mom of three showed off her toned muscles while rocking a resistance band and balancing her hands on a set of free weights.

— Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of showed off

Verb

That preference for continuity has carried on into this pre-season, a period when managers and head coaches often make plenty of changes.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
The law requires maritime goods transported between American ports be carried on ships built and operated by Americans, and Phillips 66 has received around 20% of all exemptions granted.

— Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of carried on

Verb

When the mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against Putin, in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that then security council chief Nikolai Patrushev, age 75, orchestrated the plane crash that killed the rebel leader.

— Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
The Chumash rebelled in 1824, the latest in a chain of Native Californian revolts against the friars.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 July 2026

Definition of rebelled

Verb

Walker wore his Cardinals hat backward, chewed a big wad of bubble gum and reveled afterward in flashing his imitation Liberty Bell bling, the champions chain presented by Ryan Howard.

— Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
While hundreds reveled at Thursday night’s all-out bash for The Pierre hotel’s 95th anniversary, some of the building’s tenants in the floors above haven’t been feeling quite as celebratory.

— Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025

Definition of reveled

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acted (toward)

acted up

acting

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“Acted up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acted%20up. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of acted up

verb

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