1
as in played
to spend time in aimless activity
spent the vacation day just messing around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messed around
Verb
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Curry, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and It, played serial killer and rapist Billy Flynn in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026 -
Crowder, a key component to the Heat’s run to the 2020 NBA Finals, last played in the league last season with the Sacramento Kings.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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McVay flirted with leaving coaching for broadcasting, at least temporarily, because of burnout after the 2021 championship season spilled into a miserable 2022.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Since winning World Series in 1987 and 1991, the Twins have really only flirted with postseason relevance.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Excavators working at a rugged eastern Oregon ranch recently uncovered evidence of Chinese immigrants working as cowboys — a role rarely associated with the American West.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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That shift is visible across the city, even at spots long associated with old-guard formality like the exclusive Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, aka the Pink Lady.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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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White House counterterrorism advisor Seb Gorka and special envoy for hostage response Adam Boehler traveled to Afghanistan to broker Amiri's release in September.—
Camilla Schick,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
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More than 10 billion passengers have traveled on Japan’s Shinkansen since 1964, and the network’s drama-free punctuality has become a quiet part of daily life for millions.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lastly, as Archaeology News reported, Britain was never isolated from the rest of the continent, and it was connected to distant regions, too.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
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Matthew Stafford connected with Colby Parkinson on a touchdown pass in the final minute to lift the Rams to a 34-31 wild-card playoff win over the Carolina Panthers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During his treatment, Ray J was hooked up to oxygen and using an inhaler to support his breathing, per a later PEOPLE report.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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Talayan wasn’t hooked up to the city’s power grid, and the women still queued for long periods to get water from the pipes, even when pregnant.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wesley Fofana’s minutes have to be managed due to his various injury issues since joining from Leicester City in 2022, and his form has been mixed in any case.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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The bar team relies on fresh produce and herbs like the Little Leaf, a zippy refresher mixed with mezcal, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeño.—
Lizbeth Scordo,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Messed around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messed%20around. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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