fool around

1 to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt Synonyms act up, clown (around), cut up, horse around, hotdog, monkey (around), showboat, show off, skylarkRelated Words carry on, misbehave; roughhouse; caper, cavort, disport, frisk, frolic, gambol, lark, rollick, romp; carouse, maffick, revel, roar, wassail

2 to spend time in aimless activity spent the rainy afternoon listening to music and fooling around Synonyms doodle, fiddle, fribble, goof (around), hang about [British], kick around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifleRelated Words dally, dawdle, dillydally, hang (around or out), idle, loaf, loll, lounge; clown (around), horse around; diddle (with), tinkerNear Antonyms buckle (down), knuckle down, set (to), settle (down)