Acting Up vs. Acting Out – Which is Correct?
Both “acting up” and “acting out” are correct, but they have different meanings. “Acting up” usually means behaving badly, malfunctioning, or worsening. “Acting out” means expressing emotions through disruptive behavior or dramatizing a story. Choose “acting up” for problems or misbehavior and “acting out” for externalized feelings or performance onstage.
Acting Up or Acting Out – Which is Correct?
Both acting up and acting out are correct American English phrases, but they are not interchangeable. Acting up commonly describes misbehavior, a machine that is not working properly, or a problem that is becoming worse. Acting out usually describes expressing difficult emotions through disruptive behavior, or performing a story, scene, or fantasy.
For example, a child who refuses to follow instructions may be acting up. If the child’s behavior is understood as an expression of anger, fear, or frustration, a counselor might say the child is acting out. A computer can be acting up, but it cannot normally be described as acting out.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use this simple memory trick: “Up” points to a problem rising or a behavior becoming troublesome, while “out” points to feelings coming out. If a device, body part, or person is causing trouble, use acting up. If someone is expressing inner emotions through visible behavior or performing something outwardly, use acting out.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acting up | Phrasal verb | Misbehaving, malfunctioning, or becoming troublesome | The printer is acting up again. |
| Acting out | Phrasal verb | Expressing emotions through behavior or dramatizing something | The child was acting out after the move. |
How to Use Acting Up
Acting up is a casual phrasal verb with several related meanings. It can describe a person who is behaving badly, a machine or system that is malfunctioning, or a physical condition that is causing trouble. It can also describe a problem that is becoming noticeable or more severe.
When referring to behavior, acting up is often mildly critical and may suggest temporary misbehavior rather than a serious character flaw. When referring to equipment, it is an informal alternative to saying that something is malfunctioning.
Example 1: The students were acting up while the substitute teacher was giving instructions.
Example 2: My phone has been acting up since the software update.
Example 3: Her knee starts acting up whenever the weather changes.
What are the different forms of Acting Up?
Acting up is the present participle and gerund form of the phrasal verb act up. Its main forms are act up, acts up, acted up, and acting up. For example: “The alarm may act up,” “The alarm acts up,” “The alarm acted up yesterday,” and “The alarm is acting up.”
Etymology of the word Acting Up
The verb act comes through Middle English and Old French from Latin agere, meaning “to do” or “to drive.” The adverb up developed many idiomatic meanings in English, including an increased or troublesome state. Together, act up came to mean behaving badly or failing to function normally.
How to Use Acting Out
Acting out is a phrasal verb used when someone expresses inner feelings through visible, often disruptive behavior. Children or adults may act out because of anger, anxiety, grief, frustration, or stress. The phrase does not necessarily mean that the person consciously understands or intends to communicate those emotions.
Acting out can also mean dramatizing a story, event, role, or imagined situation. In an educational or theatrical setting, students may act out a scene from a novel or a historical event.
Example 1: The teenager began acting out after the family moved to a new city.
Example 2: The therapist helped the child discuss the feelings behind his acting out.
Example 3: The students acted out a scene from the play for the class.
What are the different forms of Acting Out?
Acting out is the present participle and gerund form of the phrasal verb act out. Its main forms are act out, acts out, acted out, and acting out. For example: “Some children act out when they are distressed,” “He acts out his frustration,” “She acted out the scene,” and “They are acting out a story.”
Etymology of the word Acting Out
Act out combines the verb act, from Latin agere through French and Middle English, with out, an English word associated with outward movement or expression. The performance sense developed from acting something outwardly, while the psychological sense later came to describe expressing internal conflict through behavior.
Related Concepts
Understanding the difference between literal actions, phrasal verbs, and psychological descriptions makes it easier to choose between acting up and acting out.
- Phrasal verbs: A phrasal verb combines a verb with an adverb or preposition to create a meaning that may differ from the verb alone. In these expressions, up and out significantly change the meaning of act.
- Externalized behavior: This refers to feelings or internal problems expressed through observable actions. Acting out is often used in this psychological or behavioral sense.
- Malfunction: A device or system that fails to work correctly may be described as acting up. This meaning does not normally apply to acting out.
- Performance and dramatization: To act out a story means to represent it through speech, movement, or role-play.
Examples from Media and Literature
These examples show how the two phrases appear in everyday descriptions of characters, technology, health, and performance:
- Family films: A young character who disobeys adults, interrupts conversations, or causes trouble may be described as acting up.
- Coming-of-age novels: A character dealing with grief or family conflict may be portrayed as acting out through anger, withdrawal, or reckless behavior.
- Science-fiction movies: A malfunctioning robot, computer, or spaceship may be said to be acting up when its systems stop responding correctly.
- Classroom adaptations: Students may act out a scene from a Shakespeare play, a novel, or a historical account.
- News reports: Reports about workplace equipment, transportation systems, or severe symptoms may use “acting up” to describe an intermittent problem.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct phrase, acting up or acting out, to complete each sentence.
- The washing machine has been __________ all morning.
- The counselor suspected that the student was __________ because of stress at home.
- The class will be __________ the final scene from the novel.
- My back is __________ again after the long flight.
- The children were __________ during the assembly.
Answer Key
- acting up — The washing machine is malfunctioning.
- acting out — The student is expressing distress through behavior.
- acting out — The class is dramatizing a scene.
- acting up — The speaker’s back is causing trouble.
- acting up — The children are behaving badly.
Acting Up Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Misbehaving | Behaving badly or refusing to follow expected rules. |
| Mischievous | Playfully causing trouble or minor disruption. |
| Malfunctioning | Not operating correctly, especially when referring to equipment. |
| Misbehaving mechanically | Working inconsistently or producing unexpected results. |
Acting Out Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Expressing distress | Showing emotional pain or difficulty through behavior. |
| Lashing out | Reacting to strong emotions with anger or aggression. |
| Rebelling | Resisting authority, rules, or expectations. |
| Dramatizing | Representing a story, event, or idea through performance. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “acting up” or “acting out” correct?
Both phrases are correct. Use acting up for misbehavior, malfunctioning equipment, or a troublesome condition. Use acting out for expressing emotions through behavior or dramatizing a story.
Question 2: Is a child acting up or acting out?
Either phrase may be appropriate, depending on the meaning. Use acting up when simply describing bad behavior. Use acting out when the behavior appears to express emotional distress or an underlying problem.
Question 3: Can a computer be acting out?
Usually, no. A computer that is malfunctioning is acting up. The phrase acting out generally applies to a person expressing emotions through behavior or to someone performing a scene.
Question 4: What does “acting out” mean in theater?
In theater and education, acting out means performing or dramatizing a scene, story, event, or imagined situation.
Question 5: Is “acting up” formal English?
Acting up is standard but generally informal English. In formal writing, alternatives such as misbehaving, malfunctioning, or becoming worse may be more precise.
Conclusion
Acting up and acting out are both correct, but their meanings differ. Use acting up for misbehavior, malfunctioning, or a problem that is worsening. Use acting out for emotional expression through behavior or for dramatizing a scene. Pro Tip: Choosing the precise phrase improves clarity and protects your professional reputation in both speech and writing.
