fool with
verb
fooled with; fooling with; fools with
informal
1
: to handle or play with (something) in a careless way
Don't fool with that gun.
2
: to deal with or be involved with (something that causes or that could cause trouble)
The company doesn't want to fool with small distributors.
3
: to deal with (someone) in a way that may cause anger or violence
I wouldn't want to fool with that guy.
Examples of fool with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The buildings are not to be fooled with, a neighbor, one of the six, Sanaa Lathan, says, having climbed off the bus after the woman.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Black ice is nothing to fool with.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Is that a genuine quotation, however, or is Lang merely fooling with us?
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
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Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Black ice is nothing to fool with.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Is that a genuine quotation, however, or is Lang merely fooling with us?
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fool with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fool%20with. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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