1
as in played
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 flirted
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 associated
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 messed around
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
Adam Thompson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messed around
Verb
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Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Suffice it to say that eventually the tale of childhood catches up with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer), a filmmaker, who attempts to make sense of her past and Jeremy’s fate by undertaking her own investigation, at several decades’ remove.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Not that the Beatles hadn’t flirted with the bad‑boy image.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
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The two starters matched zeros through four innings and both flirted with no-hitters.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This can lead to more fat production, lower cellular energy, and the buildup of a compound associated with metabolic dysfunction.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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Emitting light across even colors and wavelengths, each associated with unique skin benefits, this mask is designed to support a more radiant, youthful-looking complexion.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
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Prince Harry and Meghan traveled to Australia on April 14 for a trip made up of private, business and philanthropic engagements.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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One of the country's main mediators, Army Chief Asim Munir, traveled to Iran last week as part of this mediation effort.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Murakami connected for a two-run home run to right, which went 425 feet, in the fifth inning.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Near the end of this complex six-hundred-page book, Yamashita switches to a collective pronoun, suggesting that a common dream has connected her characters.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sprinklers are typically hooked up to your home’s water line.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
20 Apr. 2026
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In Beef season 1's final episode, Danny ends up in the hospital hooked up to a ventilator after being severely injured by Amy’s husband, George.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When mixed with compost or fertilizer, flaxseeds can help retain moisture for your pots and containers.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
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Traders showed little initial reaction to the report, with stock market futures slightly higher and Treasury yields mixed.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messed around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messed%20around. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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