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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Using unseen footage from Presley’s 1969 to 1976 Las Vegas residency, the movie plays the hits – plus The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel – but also showcases his sense of humor, quipping with crowds and cutting up with bandmates.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
Always cutting up and making memories.—
Hedy Phillips,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Dallas Stadium’s long-term grass future Once engineers figured out that drainage was a major problem in sustaining quality grass indoors, putting down a playing surface for a football, futbol or a soccer game wasn’t that hard.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
-
Even playing in the large San Francisco market and increasing payroll from $175 million in 2024 to $210 million in 2026.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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
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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
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Kylian liked messing around, having a laugh and telling jokes — just like the rest of us.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
All of our memories are traveling the world, messing around, having fun, and being teenagers.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Large-leaved, tall coleus are stunning on their own, but work particularly well at showing off dahlia blooms.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
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Peeking out from under her long ringlets, Kidman smiled at the camera while showing off a plunging black silk top with a sweetheart neckline and a white rib accent on her bodice.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
Verb
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President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
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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
Verb
-
Baye continued acting up until 2023.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Husband and wife duo Cristina Marzolf and Matthew Marzolf, both 25, had been kicking around the concept of Press’d Cafe and Lounge, a family-friendly tropical escape that sells smoothies, juices and food for years.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
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There are a few great Star Wars arcade games still kicking around, but this one is my personal favorite.—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fooling around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooling%20around. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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