1
as in fiddling (around)
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 flirting
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 traveling
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 messing around
Following the global success of The Housemaid, Lionsgate is not messing around with its upcoming sequel.
—
Justin Kroll, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
So, get ready to travel to Sweden for a taste of adolescence full of smiles, tears, dancing, messing around – and skateboards.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Guerin has a history of going straight to his final offer — not messing around.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Morgan had been messing around with a curveball, but didn’t actually throw it until a workout at Petco Park a week before the draft.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Soon afterward, however, at a Red Bull event in Austria, Goepper began messing around on a quarterpipe.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
Most people are messing around charging far too little for clients who don't appreciate them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
No messing around — just wham, bam, thank you, GLAM!
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
Miami’s defense isn’t messing around The Hurricanes defense has rattled Julian Sayin.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Justin Kroll, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
So, get ready to travel to Sweden for a taste of adolescence full of smiles, tears, dancing, messing around – and skateboards.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Guerin has a history of going straight to his final offer — not messing around.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Morgan had been messing around with a curveball, but didn’t actually throw it until a workout at Petco Park a week before the draft.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Soon afterward, however, at a Red Bull event in Austria, Goepper began messing around on a quarterpipe.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
Most people are messing around charging far too little for clients who don't appreciate them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
No messing around — just wham, bam, thank you, GLAM!
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
Miami’s defense isn’t messing around The Hurricanes defense has rattled Julian Sayin.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing around
Verb
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When Missouri joined a nationwide redistricting frenzy last year, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas immediately began flirting with a run for Congress.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
-
After some light flirting with João in the crew mess, the chief stew is ready to welcome the guests.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Learning a language, studying abroad, or simply traveling to experience something entirely unfamiliar to you.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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Woods' vehicle had been traveling between 84 and 87 mph in an area with a 45 mph speed limit, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at the time.—
Melissa Gaffney,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Cubs went from playing in 100-plus degree weather for over a week in Arizona to wind chills in the upper 20s on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field in their 6-2 win over the Angels.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her other daughter, Beatrice, is reportedly also choosing to focus on her family and would like to keep away from publicly associating with her parents.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Some children are associating key vocabulary words from the page to the pictures on the page.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But rumors of the fellow 305ers hooking up were squashed over the weekend, as per Page Six.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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Half of MomTok, led by Jessi, spent the previous evening reading Dakota the riot act for hooking up with a friend of Taylor’s.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Current board members Kay Coen and Jeff Siems, who is also the school board vice president, are not running for re-election.—
Joseph Hernandez
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
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Ultra Music Festival returned to Bayfront Park in downtown Miami for its second day Saturday, with music running from noon to midnight across seven stages.—
Miami Herald newsroom,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.—
Elliott Harrell,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Messing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messing%20around. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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