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
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
Apple isn't messing around with this update.
—PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
The dismantling of the Cubs in the NLDS was a statement series that the Brewers are not messing around and have the power to win their first World Series.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
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
Apple isn't messing around with this update.
—PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
The dismantling of the Cubs in the NLDS was a statement series that the Brewers are not messing around and have the power to win their first World Series.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing around
Verb
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In the video, the two were seen flirting at TopGolf, quickly catching the attention of fans online.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Sorry, hello, Rob was flirting.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In our roundup of travel news this week, why social bathhouses are a hot new wellness trend, the Portuguese chicken shop Chinese tourists are traveling thousands of miles to visit, plus travel chaos in the Middle East.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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At a Sheetz gas station equipped with high-resolution cameras, authorities spotted a car matching Shelia Eddy’s vehicle passing through around midnight—traveling in the direction of Blacksville.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fellow City Section member Sylmar (24-12) is playing San Marin (21-13) for the Division V title at noon.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Prior to the start of the current conflict, the IRGC was one of the most powerful organizations in the country, playing a dominant role in both internal domestic security and regional power projection.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 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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But for the most part, your brain gets used to it despite associating the aesthetic with chaos and momentum.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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This rhetoric is employed to justify the state taking life, by associating the dead with national villainy.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After years of hooking up with colleagues and fighting for his friendship with McDreamy, Mark died early in season 9 from injuries sustained in a season 8 plane crash.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
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Venus gets up on the bar and talks about his whole life story and coming out, which is sweet and all, but, girl, this is taking away from our drinking and hooking up time.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The former state controller has been running for California governor longer than just about anybody in the cheek-by-jowl field.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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The crowd stopped the congressional certification of Biden's victory for several hours, sent lawmakers running and vandalized the building before police regained control.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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