fooled around

verb

past tense of fool around
1
as in horsed around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in played
to spend time in aimless activity we fooled around outdoors for a while, then went in to get some work done

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fooled around Not too long ago, artificial intelligence was more or less a science project in which data scientists and developers fooled around with one-off small or test projects. — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled around
  1. cut up
  2. played
  3. showed off
  4. messed around
  5. acted up
  6. kicked around
Verb
  • The Arab coins, known as dirhams, are cut up and have similar inscriptions to those found in silver hoards from the 9th century, Nordjyske Museer said.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • What parents can do on hectic mornings Nemours recommends doing as much as possible the night before, from setting out dishes to cutting up fruit.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Richard Heathcote/Getty Images The 25-year-old was often rotated and played only 2,623 minutes across Ligue 1 and the Champions League but still managed 18 goals and 10 assists.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Sabalenka held and then played one of her best games of the match, breaking at love to tie it at 4-all.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • Kienholz showed off his mobility both as a runner and passer, effectively threw to all levels of the field and made clutch play after clutch play in the second half.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The Cybercab, which Tesla first showed off almost two years ago, has been in production since April.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of showed off
Verb
  • Then in spring training this year, Hollowell again messed around with different changeup grips while incorporating mental cues from previous coaches, and something clicked with a circle-change grip.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • Dragstrem, who focuses more on production, has messed around with it but was left unsatisfied; McGill, who’s more lyrics-driven, wants nothing to do with the tech.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2026
Definition of messed around
Verb
  • And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
Definition of acted up
Verb
  • No balls were kicked around, but a first impression was made about a pitch that’s cropped tighter than a Pebble Beach fairway yet in impressive shape after four games over 11 days.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • Near a door leading to a loading dock, a group of players on the host Vegas Golden Knights — including forward Mitch Marner, who went on to score a regulation hat trick in a 5-4 win — stood in a circle and kicked around a soccer ball.
    — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 8 June 2026
Definition of kicked around

Browse Nearby Words

fooled
fooled around
fooled (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Fooled around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled%20around. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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