FOOLED AROUND Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

fooled around

verb

past tense of fool around

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

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

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

Kerry’s son Noah (played by Shea Pritchard) seems to be doing well for himself, at least, as a kid with college prospects.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
The Pentagon spokesperson pushed back on that characterization, questioning how OSC could have played a role if that were the case.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of played

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

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)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fooled around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled%20around. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fooled around

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

elegiac

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes