Act up
Act up verb - To behave badly.
Usage example: the two-year-old was acting up in church so much that her dad had to take her outside
Misbehave
Misbehave verb - To behave badly.
Usage example: scolded the children for misbehaving and sent them to bed early
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Misbehave and Act up. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_up/misbehave
Act up & Misbehave. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_up/misbehave>.
Misbehave or Act up. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/act_up/misbehave.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "act up" and "misbehave" have occurred on timeline