ækt ʌp
informal
beginner
- Base verb:
- act
- Particle:
- up
- Separable:
- No
What does "act up" mean?
- To misbehave
- To malfunction or not work properly
Examples
- The kids are acting up again.
- My computer has been acting up lately.
- His knee acts up in cold weather.
- Don't act up in front of the guests.
- The car engine started acting up on the highway.
How to use it
Can describe both behavior (children) and things malfunctioning (machines, health conditions).
Similar expressions
misbehave
malfunction
play up
Opposites
behave
work properly
Related phrasal verbs
- get up
To rise from bed after sleeping
- turn up
To increase the volume, heat, or intensity of something
- give up
To stop trying to do something, often because it is too difficult
- bring up
To mention or introduce a topic in conversation
- go up
To increase in price, level, or amount
- come up
To be mentioned or discussed
Use it in a practice answer
Try "act up" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.