as in clowned (around)
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the boys were horsing around on the boat when one of them fell overboard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horsed around
Verb
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At one point, a member of the Revolutionary Guard came over to cut up Khamenei’s breakfast meat.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026 -
Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
Verb
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Students showed off their animals on Saturday at the Bastrop Area Livestock Show on Saturday at the Ken Estepp Show Barn in Bastrop.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
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Damien showed off its three-point shooting in a win over Crespi.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
7 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Horsed around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsed%20around. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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