acting up

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 black flies are not the only troublesome creature acting up during the unseasonably warm weather.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

I told her the camera is going to be constantly running, so when she’s acting up — and I wanted to open the film with that — she knew that was being recorded.

From Salon • Jul. 15, 2024

After lunch, Streisand was ready to relax and needed to stretch her back, which lately has been acting up.

From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2023

Moody said the injury started acting up two weeks ago and he is “slowly working back into it.”

From Washington Times • Sep. 5, 2023

In stall number one, the quickfooted Specify began acting up, backing, ducking back and forth, and kicking at his handlers.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand