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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled around
Verb
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The Pro Football Hall of Famer who played 17 years for the Miami Dolphins is widely considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, served as an analyst for The NFL Today on CBS for over a decade and most importantly was in a movie with Jim Carrey and an actual dolphin.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025 -
Aduba, 44, played famous detective Cordelia Cupp, who was determined to solve an unexpected murder at the White House, in The Residence.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The statue of Abraham Lincoln by Mount Rushmore creator Gutzon Borglum was cut up to be sold for its silver content, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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Born Drew Desbordes, Druski, 30, is a long way from the kid who spent his time at the dinner table cutting up.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In 2017, the 11 story hotel also showed off a $16 million-plus makeover of its grand lobby, suites and guest rooms.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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On a number of occasions against Southeast Missouri State, Raynor showed off his escape ability by breaking the pocket to extend plays.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The idea of an independent misconduct authority has been kicked around by the industry since the Noel Clarke scandal four years ago, but its existence has become more pressing amid a string of power abuse crises involving the likes of MasterChef presenter Wallace and ITV chef Gino D’Acampo.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
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Peralta leaders had kicked around the idea for years but avoided discussing it in concrete terms, with bureaucratic tangles often getting in the way.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
23 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fooled around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled%20around. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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