Synonyms of messed around

messed around

verb

past tense of mess around

1

as in played

to spend time in aimless activity

spent the vacation day just messing around

Synonyms & Similar Words

• played
• fooled around
• fiddled (around)
• goofed (around)
• puttered (around)
• hung about
• pottered (around)
• kicked around
• monkeyed (around)
• doodled
• hung (around or out)
• fribbled
• trifled
• horsed around
• clowned (around)
• lounged
• idled
• dawdled
• loafed
• diddled (with)
• dillydallied
• tinkered
• lolled
• dallied

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set (to)
• settled (down)
• buckled (down)
• knuckled down

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

• flirted
• coquetted
• frivoled
• toyed
• trifled
• strung along
• played (with)
• put on
• dallied
• wooed
• vamped
• teased
• mashed
• led on
• ribbed
• fooled
• razzed
• courted
• manipulated
• kidded
• joshed

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

• associated
• traveled
• hung (around or out)
• connected
• hooked up
• mixed
• ran
• joined
• related
• collaborated
• bonded
• mingled
• rubbed shoulders (with)
• fell in with
• took up with
• palled (around)
• rubbed elbows (with)
• befriended
• sorted
• was friends with
• consociated
• consorted
• cooperated
• got along
• fraternized
• kept company (with)
• companied
• got on
• hobnobbed
• tied
• linked
• attached
• grouped
• allied
• coupled
• rallied
• chummed
• affiliated
• knotted
• socialized
• interrelated
• sided
• teamed
• clubbed
• conjoined
• colluded
• banded
• confederated
• ganged
• wedded
• leagued
• friended

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoided
• shunned
• split (up)
• snubbed
• alienated
• dispersed
• broke up
• estranged
• split
• disbanded
• cold-shouldered
• divorced
• severed
• dissociated
• sundered
• disjoined
• disunited

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of messed around

Then in spring training this year, Hollowell again messed around with different changeup grips while incorporating mental cues from previous coaches, and something clicked with a circle-change grip. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Dragstrem, who focuses more on production, has messed around with it but was left unsatisfied; McGill, who’s more lyrics-driven, wants nothing to do with the tech. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 30 May 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