1
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
spent the vacation day just messing around
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to travel
to come or be together as friends
if you continue to mess around with such narrow-minded boobs, you'll begin to think and act like them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mess around
Morgan had been messing around with a curveball, but didn’t actually throw it until a workout at Petco Park a week before the draft.
—
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Soon afterward, however, at a Red Bull event in Austria, Goepper began messing around on a quarterpipe.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
The Italian heritage brand Frette does not mess around with luxury.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Feb. 2026
In the email, Dixon suggested that the fire department employee may have messed around with the department's equipment.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Soon afterward, however, at a Red Bull event in Austria, Goepper began messing around on a quarterpipe.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
The Italian heritage brand Frette does not mess around with luxury.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Feb. 2026
In the email, Dixon suggested that the fire department employee may have messed around with the department's equipment.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess around
Verb
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Last season, Johnson played in 17 games, including eight starts, after All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson missed time with a Lisfranc injury.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Coach Charles Lee only had to play LaMelo Ball for an efficient 23 minutes, and Ball finished with 20 points and eight assists.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Missouri joined a nationwide redistricting frenzy last year, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas immediately began flirting with a run for Congress.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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Charlotte flirted with the team record for made three-pointers in a game Tuesday.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kristopher David was driving to work Wednesday morning near the intersection of Broward Boulevard and Seventh Avenue when a black Audi, traveling westbound at a high rate of speed, T-boned his white BMW.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Instead, Hall put on late-night shows in the basement of his home and became a popular child magician, earning money by doing his routine at ritzy parties and travelling to magic conventions.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Bella Ramsey takes a break from killing zombies and avenging father figures, their usual pastimes in series The Last of Us, to fool around and fall in love in Sunny Dancer, a decidedly uneven but fitfully charming, YA-skewed British comedy-drama.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This distinction was missing both from popular discourse, the academics felt, and from an influential definition of antisemitism associated with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which lists numerous examples of antisemitism related to criticism of Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Berseth did not respond to a phone message or to an email or letter sent to addresses apparently associated with her.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Chicago Federation of Labor is also running a fundraiser for all federal workers impacted by the partial shutdown.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Currently, the group runs 18 restaurants across the city—some Michelin-acclaimed.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Looking for joy is a good way to bond with one another, though contrasting energy arrives in the Moon’s face-off with Pluto, asking us to balance attention with power-sharing.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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While the mission is to give the public a taste of what life was like serving in World War II, the group’s staff and volunteers find that tanks are a fun way to bond.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20around. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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