FOOLS AROUND Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

fools around

verb

present tense third-person singular of fool around

as in horses 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 plays

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 fools around

Verb

According to McGrady, the only royal who didn’t enjoy the time away in the Highlands was the late Princess Diana, who didn’t fit in with the family’s outdoorsy vibes and didn’t enjoy riding horses around the property due to a fall as a child.

— Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.

— Stephen Whyno, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026

Definition of horses around

Verb

The new hotel shows off works from creatives from the Scuola Romana and the Scuola di Piazza del Popolo 20th-century art movements alongside more modern pieces dotted throughout the property.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2026
Heather immediately shows off her Japanese with the hotel manager.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of shows off

Verb

Now playing in theaters, Clayface stars Harries as rising actor Matt Hagen, who suffers gruesome wounds after the brutal mafioso Szabo (Dencik) cuts up his face, resulting in the downfall of his career.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
The New England Aquarium research scientist cuts up frozen Atlantic menhaden, known locally as pogies, secures them to circle hooks attached to several fishing rods, and casts them into the shallow water.

— Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of cuts up

Verb

Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.

— Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026

Definition of hangs about

Verb

Six weeks later, when that integration acts up again, the institutional memory that used to shorten the investigation may not be there.

— Sanjay Gidwani, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Currently, Screen Time often acts up and just cuts off access to all apps, whether it’s supposed to or not.

— Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026

Definition of acts up

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fools

fools around

fools (with)

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“Fools around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fools%20around. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of fools around

verb

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