Synonyms of mess around

mess around

verb

1

as in to play

to spend time in aimless activity

spent the vacation day just messing around

Synonyms & Similar Words

• play
• fool around
• goof (around)
• fiddle (around)
• hang about
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• monkey (around)
• kick around
• doodle
• fribble
• trifle
• hang (around or out)
• lounge
• horse around
• clown (around)
• idle
• loaf
• dawdle
• diddle (with)
• tinker
• loll
• dillydally
• dally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set (to)
• settle (down)
• buckle (down)
• knuckle down

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

• flirt
• toy
• trifle
• coquet
• play (with)
• put on
• lead on
• woo
• frivol
• vamp
• fool
• string along
• tease
• court
• mash
• dally
• rib
• kid
• manipulate
• razz
• josh

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

• travel
• associate
• hang (around or out)
• run
• bond
• connect
• hook up
• mix
• join
• collaborate
• pal (around)
• rub shoulders (with)
• take up with
• company
• relate
• fall in with
• mingle
• sort
• rub elbows (with)
• keep company (with)
• befriend
• consort
• fraternize
• cooperate
• consociate
• get along
• friend
• be friends with
• get on
• chum
• rally
• tie
• club
• hobnob
• link
• attach
• couple
• group
• affiliate
• side
• ally
• team
• knot
• socialize
• league
• gang
• confederate
• band
• interrelate
• collude
• conjoin
• wed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoid
• shun
• split (up)
• snub
• alienate
• break up
• cold-shoulder
• disperse
• split
• disband
• sever
• divorce
• estrange
• dissociate
• disunite
• disjoin
• sunder

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mess around

From waterproof eye makeup to long-wearing lip stains, this cleansing balm doesn’t mess around. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026

The Thunder don’t want to mess around. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026

The Lakers weren’t messing around during the film sessions or practices. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

While the directors mess around with genre in each chapter and the cast differs from story to story, the six narratives are given a sense of consistency courtesy of the unique Coen voice. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026