monkeying 1 of 3

noun

as in funning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior all that monkeying was sure to end in someone or something getting hurt

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monkeying

2 of 3

adjective

as in prankish

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Dissimilar Words

monkeying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of monkey
as in aping

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeying
  1. joking
  2. prankish
  3. aping
  4. clowning
  5. ornery
  6. copying
  7. tomfoolery
  8. roguish
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking
Adjective
  • The catastrophies that our heroine averts are awfully small potatoes — a bulldozer running amok, an amusement park ride speeding out of control, some prankish teenagers scheming to turn the girl’s shower into a steambath.
    — Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • Angela Balogh Calin’s costumes prepare the way for Ionesco’s prankish jokes.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Definition of prankish
Verb
  • Critics and fanboy media thrashed Supergirl not just for its Guardians of the Galaxy touchstones, but also for aping Mad Max.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • For Shorts, the label will appear as a small overlay at the bottom of the video itself, although that will add to the already cluttered look of the TikTok-aping Shorts.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
Definition of aping
Noun
  • The clowning might be a little too effortful.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
  • As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of clowning
Adjective
  • In the show, Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, an ornery Green Lantern who is begrudgingly training his upstart protégé (Aaron Pierre).
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Leach also would publicly call out his players and could get ornery when questioned about his team’s shortcomings.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Definition of ornery
Verb
  • Sweeping multilateral regulatory approaches, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, are losing their efficacy as other major markets, including China, cease copying the EU playbook.
    — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Still, copying what an older woman did isn’t necessarily the same as learning from her.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of copying
Noun
  • New assistant coach Alice Chilton is a blatant remodeling of Roy Kent — a brusque ex-soccer player who’s reluctant to engage with Ted’s tomfoolery or personal prodding — but Tanya Reynolds’ performance is equal turns wounded and witty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Between their champagne problems and flirty tomfoolery, Anna disappears, initiating a futile rescue search.
    — Maggie Turner, Air Mail, 25 July 2026
Definition of tomfoolery
Adjective
  • Morgan had a vastly different, characteristically roguish response.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026
  • The movie follows the life of feisty belle Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), from growing up on a plantation to her love affairs, including with roguish Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of roguish
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.

Browse Nearby Words

monkeyed (with)
monkeying
monkeying (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Monkeying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeying. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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