Dictionary
act out
verb
Definition of ACT OUT
transitive verb
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 (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms
intransitive verb
: 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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First Known Use of ACT OUT
1611
Rhymes with ACT OUT
ablaut, about, all-out, back out, bailout, bail out, bat out, bawl out, bear out, beat out, blackout, black out, blissed-out, blot out, blowout, bombed-out, bow out, Boy Scout, breakout, break out, breechclout, bring out, brook trout, brownout, brown trout, bugout, bug out, burned-out, burnout, burn out, butt out, buyout, buy out, call out, campout, cash out, cast out, catch out, checkout, check out, chill out, churn out, clapped-out, clear out, closeout, come out, cookout, cop-out, cop out, crank out, Cub Scout, cutout, cut out, devout, die out, dig out, dimout, dine out, dishclout, dish out, dole out, downspout, draw out, dropout, drop out, dry out, dugout, eelpout, eke out, en route, fade-out, fake out, fallout, fall out, farm out, far-out, fill out, find out, fink out, fish out, flake out, flameout, flame out, flat-out, flunk out, foldout, force-out, foul out, freak-out, freaked-out, freeze out, full-out, get out, Girl Scout, give out, go out, grind out, gross-out, gross out, groundout, handout, hand out, hangout, hideout, holdout, hold out, horned pout, ice-out, iron out, kick out, knock out, lake trout, layout, lay out, leg out, let out, light out, lights-out, line out, lockout, lock out, lookout, look out, lose out, mahout, make out, max out, misdoubt, miss out, no doubt, nose out, opt out, pan out, pass out, payout, phaseout, phase out, pick out, pig out, pitchout, played out, play out, printout, print out, prove out, psych-out, pullout, pull out, punch out, putout, put out, rain out, rainspout, readout, read out, redoubt, redout, rollout, roll out, rub out, rubout, rule out, run out, sack out, salt out, Sea Scout, sea trout, sellout, sell out, setout, set out, shakeout, shake out, shell out, shoot-out, shout-out, shutout, shut out, sick-out, side-out, sign out, sit out, sleep out, smoke out, sold-out, spaced-out, space out, speak out, spell out, spinout, spin out, stakeout, stake out, standout, stand out, star route, step out, stick out, stop out, straight-out, stressed-out, stretch-out, strikeout, strike out, strung out, swear out, sweat out, takeout, take out, talk out, tap out, tapped out, tease out, thought-out, throughout, throw out, time-out, trade route, trot out, tryout, try out, tune out, turnout, turn out, umlaut, wait out, walkout, walk out, washed-out, washout, wash out, watch out, way-out, wear out, weird out, whacked-out, whiteout, wideout, wigged-out, wimp out, wiped out, wipeout, wipe out, without, workout, work out, worn-out, write out, zone out, zonked-out
Medical Dictionary
act out
transitive verb \(ˈ)akt-ˈau̇t\
Medical Definition of ACT OUT
: to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms <act out an adolescent fantasy>
intransitive verb
: to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self-defeating manner especially as a means of venting painful emotions (as fear or frustration)
Learn More About ACT OUT
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