horsed around

verb

past tense of horse around
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
  1. cut up
  2. fooled around
  3. showed off
  4. acted up
Verb
  • What parents can do on hectic mornings Nemours recommends doing as much as possible the night before, from setting out dishes to cutting up fruit.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Mix a package of instant potatoes with a half packet of stuffing mix and some cut up salami.
    — Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • 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
Definition of fooled around
Verb
  • Two days after a dominant close to the joint practice against the Chicago Bears by the rebuilt defense, the roster depth Cincinnati is banking on as a weapon of attack this season showed off in a 27-9 win against Chicago.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • DeVito has a nice scramble DeVito showed off his running skills in the second quarter, breaking free for a 36-yard scramble to get the Patriots into Eagles territory for the first time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of showed off
Verb
  • 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
Definition of acted up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

horseback
horsed around
horsefeathers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Horsed around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsed%20around. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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