mess around

verb

messed around; messing around; messes around

intransitive verb

1
: to waste time : dawdle, idle
2
a
: associate
didn't mess around with gangs

Examples of mess around in a Sentence

spent the vacation day just messing around a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rest of the day is his, spent mostly on yoga, messing around on his computer, taking walks and reading. Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 So for example Joule, our digital assistant, cannot mess around with compliance checks on travel and on sourcing, or on directing the flow of materials. Tharin Pillay, Time, 4 Aug. 2025 Apple doesn’t mess around with its Air lineup anymore. PC Magazine, 14 July 2025 For wireless performance that doesn’t mess around, this one really earns its price tag, especially with today’s 30% discount. PC Magazine, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mess around

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mess around was in 1918

Cite this Entry

“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mess%20around. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mess around

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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