act out
Britishverb
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(tr) to reproduce (an idea, former event, etc) in actions, often by mime
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psychiatry to express unconsciously (a repressed impulse or experience) in overt behaviour
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Perform or portray something or someone, as in As she read to the class, the teacher had each child act out a different character in the story . [c. 1600]
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Express unconscious feelings or impulses through one's behavior, without being aware of it. For example, She acted out her anger at her father by screaming at her husband . This meaning comes from 20th-century psychological theory and usually (but not always) refers to negative or hostile impulses and emotions. The term is sometimes used without an object to mean “misbehave” or “behave disruptively,” as in The child is acting out in class . [First half of 1900s] In both usages, out means “openly” or “publicly.”
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.
The government has tried other tactics to address the issue; the FAA implemented stiffer penalties in recent years for passengers who act out on planes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 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
Now we’re in a comedy structure where it’s act out and mix up a set up, a punch line, etc.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025
Like the time when she wanted us to act out the mathematical equation for photosynthesis and I rolled my eyes at her when I thought she wasn’t looking.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
