1
as in cutting up
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 fiddling (around)
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
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Recent Examples of fooling around
Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.
—
Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooling around
Verb
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Scalping the lawn can assist doveweed's spread by cutting up pieces that root all over the lawn.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, as all of this is happening, Meredith is cutting up with the other ladies at the spa, without a care in the world.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
-
In April 2020, Iglesias shared a video of him horsing around with Lucy and Nicholas as the pair attempted to climb on his back for a ride.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tell me about playing the 9-year-old version of your character and the adult version.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2026
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Back healthy from her rehab, expectations are high for the Stanford standout, who also stayed busy during the offseason playing in the Unrivaled league.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The fandom has been showing off their outfit prep on social media in anticipation of his set.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
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Social media lit up on Wednesday when users noticed an Instagram reel posted by the Minnesota balloon company showing off its collaboration with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.—
Jackie Powell,
NBC news,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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The black flies are not the only troublesome creature acting up during the unseasonably warm weather.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jesse Kardon has come a long way from his days as a teenager messing around with Ableton in his bedroom.—
Christine Terrisse,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
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Following the global success of The Housemaid, Lionsgate is not messing around with its upcoming sequel.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.—
Elliott Harrell,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Odenkirk and Kolstad have begun kicking around ideas for extending the character into an ongoing franchise.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Although the likes of the Go Go’s and the Cars are present at times, the soundtrack as a whole seems too staid to provide a backdrop for ’80s kids kicking around in the heyday of punk.—
Gina Friedlande,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fooling around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooling%20around. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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