1
as in to horse around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt
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2
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
we fooled around outdoors for a while, then went in to get some work done
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Examples of fool around in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Down in the valley, Muriel skips work to fool around with her neighbor Sandra (Sasha Calle), a woman living openly as a lesbian despite the stigma.
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Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Of course, sometimes flirting or fooling around leads to more serious relationships.
—Katie Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
This assumes precautions are in place, like lifting only when supervised; performing all movements with proper, strict, form; never fooling around and seeing who can lift the most weight, etc.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 18 July 2024
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Bored with that job as well, Newhart and a colleague began fooling around with fictional phone conversations.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for fool around 
Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Of course, sometimes flirting or fooling around leads to more serious relationships.
—Katie Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
This assumes precautions are in place, like lifting only when supervised; performing all movements with proper, strict, form; never fooling around and seeing who can lift the most weight, etc.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 18 July 2024
Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term
The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
The 50 Worst Decisions in Movie History
Bored with that job as well, Newhart and a colleague began fooling around with fictional phone conversations.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for fool around
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fool around.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Fool around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fool%20around. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
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