as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
at the beach there was a lot more horsing around on the sand than actual swimming in the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in cutting up
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of horsing around
Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horsing around
Noun
-
The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the carousel of photos, McGillivray is seen cutting up food and raising it to Hogan's husband Steven Oleksy's mouth.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
-
Scalping the lawn can assist doveweed's spread by cutting up pieces that root all over the lawn.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Barnett was the second Mississippi resident to take the monkey business into their own hands.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The monkey business is dominated by a handful of highly secretive and rivalrous brokers.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Emma Roberts demonstrated this perfectly on May 6, showing off the red shoe trend on the streets of New York for a shoot with Adidas and Nordstrom.—
Katharina Fuchs,
Glamour,
9 May 2026
-
The 28-year-old influencer, showing off a noticeably different silhouette, sparked fresh questions, as experts point to a growing shift toward more natural results.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Baye continued acting up until 2023.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Comedy and clowning are ways Zaalan has connected with their homeland after the Syrian revolution.—
Candace Hansen,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Once, before the stabbing, Malik chased Yahkeim with a knife during horseplay.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
-
The precisely choreographed horseplay in the first act of his Nutcracker is physical comedy at its best.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horsing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsing%20around. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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