Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

act-out

phrasal verb

/ækt aʊt/

Definition

To express one’s emotions or thoughts through behavior rather than words.

Examples

After feeling overwhelmed, she began to act out in class, disrupting the lesson.
It’s common for children to act out when they are upset or struggling to express their feelings.
He tends to act out his frustrations through art, channeling his feelings into creativity.

Meaning

Acting out can involve physical actions that reflect emotional distress or frustration, often as a way of coping with or communicating feelings that are difficult to articulate verbally.