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

b

: flirt, philander

Synonyms of mess around

• play
• fool around
• goof (around)
• fiddle (around)
• hang about
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• monkey (around)
• kick around

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

While the directors mess around with genre in each chapter and the cast differs from story to story, the six narratives are given a sense of consistency courtesy of the unique Coen voice. —James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026

Jesse Kardon has come a long way from his days as a teenager messing around with Ableton in his bedroom. —Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026

Following the global success of The Housemaid, Lionsgate is not messing around with its upcoming sequel. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026

The Detroit Tigers didn’t mess around this winter, adding top starting pitcher Framber Valdez to pair with two-time defending AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal atop the club’s rotation. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mess around

• aboveground
• battleground
• belowground
• paperbound
• turnaround
• ultrasound
• underground
• wraparound
• abound
• aground
• astound
• background