CEFR B2

act up

phrasal verb

Meaning

Behave badly or fail to function correctly.

Examples

The old radiator started acting up as soon as the temperature dropped below freezing.
My knee has been acting up lately, so I had to skip my morning run.

Synonyms: misbehave, malfunction, play up, glitch

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act up (B2)

phrasal verb

Pronunciation: /ækt ʌp/

Definition

Behave badly or fail to function correctly.

Examples

The old radiator started acting up as soon as the temperature dropped below freezing.
My knee has been acting up lately, so I had to skip my morning run.
The children began to act up because they were tired and hungry after the long flight.

How to Use act up

act up (phrasal verb): To behave poorly or fail to operate properly. — "My back always acts up when I sit in this chair for too long."

Synonyms of act up

Words with a similar meaning to act up:

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