as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself
a night of frolicking by three soldiers just before they are sent to the war zone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dancing
to play and run about happily
scores of swimmers were frolicking in the ocean surf along the beach
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playing
to engage in activity for amusement
he would rather frolic than do yard work any day of the week
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 frolicking
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Their day also included laughing, frolicking and square dancing, as documented in her caption as well as within the content of her Instagram carousel.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Through scenes of gossip, frolicking and even a foot chase as cops try to shut the revelry down, Basholli introduces her setting (Prishtina, Kosovo in the late ‘90s) as though the audience were an eager participant in every conversation, and privy to the girls’ secrets.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 May 2026
Past the frolicking waters of the outdoor fountain that anchors Lincoln Center, beyond the twin Chagall murals hanging 30-feet tall in the Metropolitan Opera House lobby, and behind the stage of one of the nation’s most glittering cultural centers sits a warren of rooms in a concrete labyrinth.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2026
But Attenborough has had to accept the accolades this week as scientists, politicians and conservationists celebrated the man who has brought frolicking gorillas, breaching whales and tiny poisonous frogs into living rooms around the world for more than 70 years.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
There was the Super Bowl-winning quarterback frolicking in trendy jammies.
—Lisa Gutierrez
may 2, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
With azure water lapping sandy beaches, lazy days spent frolicking in Lake Maggiore are a huge draw.
—Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
And while there are multiple sequences showcasing Michael (played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson) frolicking with his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles, the allegations of pedophilia against MJ are never once mentioned.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
By watching every moment of his famous subjects frolicking around the studio, we’d all be deprived of the chance to cherish the best seconds of it.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Their day also included laughing, frolicking and square dancing, as documented in her caption as well as within the content of her Instagram carousel.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Through scenes of gossip, frolicking and even a foot chase as cops try to shut the revelry down, Basholli introduces her setting (Prishtina, Kosovo in the late ‘90s) as though the audience were an eager participant in every conversation, and privy to the girls’ secrets.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 May 2026
Past the frolicking waters of the outdoor fountain that anchors Lincoln Center, beyond the twin Chagall murals hanging 30-feet tall in the Metropolitan Opera House lobby, and behind the stage of one of the nation’s most glittering cultural centers sits a warren of rooms in a concrete labyrinth.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2026
But Attenborough has had to accept the accolades this week as scientists, politicians and conservationists celebrated the man who has brought frolicking gorillas, breaching whales and tiny poisonous frogs into living rooms around the world for more than 70 years.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
There was the Super Bowl-winning quarterback frolicking in trendy jammies.
—Lisa Gutierrez
may 2, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
With azure water lapping sandy beaches, lazy days spent frolicking in Lake Maggiore are a huge draw.
—Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
And while there are multiple sequences showcasing Michael (played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson) frolicking with his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles, the allegations of pedophilia against MJ are never once mentioned.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frolicking
Noun
-
The spa With 11 treatment rooms, including a couples’ area, and men’s and women’s relaxation areas with hydrotherapy areas, the spa is a substantial amenity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
Make waves at this pool party featuring relaxation, dancing, an extensive lineup of drag and burlesque performances and beats by Mothership Connection.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
In doing so dancing, much like writing, becomes an act of generational integration and re-membering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
The video went viral of us just dancing and having fun with the song.—
Lucas Villa,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
New York leads, 12-7, after a pair of early 3-pointers and by playing fast to try to get ahead of the defense of Victor Wembanyama.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Hanging on his wall as inspiration was a rhapsodic review of My Left Foot, which earned Daniel Day-Lewis his first Oscar for playing a guy with cerebral palsy.—
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
After all, those extensions that looked so good at your dinner and drinks might not prove as fun at the beach or water park.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
4 June 2026
-
The Outer Banks, a group of barrier islands just off the North Carolina coast, placed 14th on the publication’s Top 18 list of getaways offering fun and relaxation for the whole family.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
All along the far side of the canyon, a cluster of dots began to wink on, like fireflies cavorting in a field.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Just a few weeks earlier, Miguel Angel Garcia Medina, 31, had been cavorting with his four children at their Arlington, Texas, home, meeting his 8-year-old daughter for lunch at school and giddily planning the arrival of their fifth child.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
These teenagers are our children — overwhelmingly from the South and West sides, communities that are increasingly drained of safe places for them, like recreation centers, after-school programs, mental health resources and jobs.—
Desmon Yancy,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
The latter is made possible by up to $650,000 in yearly matching grants from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, distributed to local and county governments, park and recreation departments, angling organizations, water districts and others.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Max Schuemann made his first career start in right field Thursday and made a diving catch on Steven Kwan in the second along with a leaping catch on Brayan Rocchio in the seventh.—
Larry Fleisher,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
Rookie left fielder Sterlin Thompson made a leaping catch against the wall in the fifth to rob Mike Trout of a home run.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The current 2% village amusement tax, originally introduced in 2019, is applied on the entry fees to all forms of discretionary entertainment, like going to the movie theater, watching a play or musical, visiting an amusement park or attending a sporting event.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
The word has always carried the sense of a mild or gentle expression of pleasure or amusement.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frolicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frolicking. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
