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

For wireless performance that doesn’t mess around, this one really earns its price tag. —PC Magazine, 20 Nov. 2025

After losing to Oklahoma, squeaking by South Carolina and messing around with LSU aren’t gutsy showings but reflections of inconsistency. —Pete Sampson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025

Hearing an insider from the general manager meetings, where some of the top decision-makers gathered, say that their big takeaway was that the Blue Jays are tied to the top available free agent, is at least a sign that the club isn't messing around in the sweepstakes and will be aggressive. —Patrick McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025

This woman is not messing around. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2025

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