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

Get all the flavors of a baked potato without having to fool with setting out all of the toppings for your guests. — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 24 June 2026

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