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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mess around
Columbia Men’s Silver Ridge Cargo Pants Engineered with Columbia’s water-resistant, moisture-wicking, sun-protective fabric weave, these hiking pants don’t mess around.
—
Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Around March, during a session with Allen and Slatkin, Maddell started messing around with chords to pair with an acoustic that Slatkin had at the ready.
—Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Randall Art likes to mess around sometimes.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2025
So for example Joule, our digital assistant, cannot mess around with compliance checks on travel and on sourcing, or on directing the flow of materials.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Around March, during a session with Allen and Slatkin, Maddell started messing around with chords to pair with an acoustic that Slatkin had at the ready.
—Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Randall Art likes to mess around sometimes.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2025
So for example Joule, our digital assistant, cannot mess around with compliance checks on travel and on sourcing, or on directing the flow of materials.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess around
Verb
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He's played Dante Falconeri on the soap since 2009 and has appeared in over 1,600 episodes as the mob boss.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Betts made a Gold Glove finalist-worthy play for the first out – ranging into the hole to make a backhand play then a jump throw to first.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chelsea repeatedly flirted with the Battersea Power Station site, Brentford tried to move to Kingston upon Thames and Wimbledon effectively did go to Milton Keynes.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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On screen, the character of Grofield flirts with danger the way an artist flirts with an audience.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Thirteen weeks later, the couple traveled to Russia and brought Anna back home to Georgia.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
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Toulouse’s approach aims to miniaturize 3D printing technology to travel through a thin optical fiber to address the drawbacks.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
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Those have come from two players: Adrian Morejon of the San Diego Padres, who throws an odd knuckleball-changeup hybrid about 1 percent of the time, and Jonah Bride of the Minnesota Twins, an infielder fooling around with the knuckler in blowouts.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Miller is navigating through the kinks, continuing to get acclimated with the taping of his wrist — something he’s been instructed to do — and working through the rust associated with not playing in an actual competitive game for nine months.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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That’s because, Vandover said, one of the biggest challenges associated with the programs is getting the word out.—
Chris Quintana,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Maddy Rivard, public relations specialist for Life Time, said Thursday the Big Sugar Classic is one of more than 30 running and cycling events Life Time owns and operates across the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Oct. 2025
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But against Cleveland – who was without a viable quarterback option in London – Minnesota allowed Quinshon Judkins to run for 110 yards.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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The student was found hanging about 50 feet up in a tree with the open chute, Metro Nashville Police Department said on X Saturday.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Stressful experiences also can help people bond.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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My Best Friend's Wedding was Preston’s first movie, and she and Roberts, 57, bonded over both being young actresses from Georgia.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20around. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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