to act like a ditz
- idiom
- Offensive
:
hacer el tonto
- Don't act like a ditz in front of your boss!
Examples
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During the interview, she deliberately acted like a ditz to appear less intimidating.
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Please don't act like a ditz; I know you're actually quite clever.
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He tends to act like a ditz whenever he wants to avoid serious questions.
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She always acts like a ditz at parties.
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She always acts like a ditz when she is nervous in social situations.
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His tendency to act like a ditz made everyone around him laugh.
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When she spilled her drink, she just started to act like a ditz and giggled about it.
Synonyms
88
2.1
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
42
4.1
Act in a way that makes you look silly or embarrassed
7
4.6
Act in a silly way to make others laugh or avoid being serious
3
8.0
To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention
1
9.9
Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious
1
9.9
To behave in a rude, stupid way
1
9.9
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh
To behave foolishly and show little common sense
To behave foolishly or clumsily
To behave in a foolish and clumsy way
Behave in a silly or foolish way
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
Act in a silly, embarrassing way
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
Act in a silly or stupid way
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
Behave in a silly, clumsy way to make people laugh at you
To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others
To behave in a stupid and rude way
To behave in a silly or annoying way
To behave in a silly or wild way that makes people laugh
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people
To behave in a silly, rude way and break rules
How Silly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'behave in a silly or foolish way' is directly and compositionally derived from 'act' (to behave) + 'like' (similar to) + 'a ditz' (a silly/forgetful person). The simile pattern 'act like X' is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words (including the slang 'ditz') will readily infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
Act like a ditz comes from the slang word ditz, for someone who seems empty-headed or forgetful. To act like a ditz is to put on a silly, distracted way of behaving to seem less serious or avoid serious talk, so it now means 'to behave in a silly or foolish way'.