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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
  • Duke Energy crews are working to cut up the tree and replace the pole, officials said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Later, it was prevented from being cut up to decorate a carnival float.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • One recent three-month period saw the release of three film adaptations of acclaimed novels in which ghosts played a starring role.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The 30-year-old actress, who was named the Chinese brand ambassador for Kors last March, made her acting debut at 10 and has played numerous roles in historical, fantasy and romantic dramas.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • Mark Zuckerberg showed off Meta’s new glasses, named Meta VR Glasses, at the company’s annual Connect event in Menlo Park, Calif.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In a demo at its Menlo Park, California, headquarters on Tuesday, Meta showed off entertainment and work offerings on the glasses, including sports events and concerts that replicate the experience of having courtside or front-row seats.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Chicago Tribune, 24 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
  • Every single night, through that winter, spring and summer, Caldwell and Rothstein kicked around potential game situations and ideas for how to approach them.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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 2 Oct. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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