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 travelling
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messing around
Around March, during a session with Allen and Slatkin, Maddell started messing around with chords to pair with an acoustic that Slatkin had at the ready.
—
Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing around
Verb
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The broadcast networks, which have long been flirting with getting out of the linear business, might then accelerate such plans.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
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Creative projects could turn into profitable side hustles, and flirting over your go-to bedding styles never felt so good.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Levi stars in the movie as his real-life father's son while Kay is playing the mother of Matthew's character.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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The actors, playing for Planned Parenthood and Philadelphia food bank Philabundance, won the coveted $1 million prize.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tyler, The Creator has been hard at work in the last year between releasing two albums and traveling all over for the Chromakopia World Tour.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
22 Sep. 2025
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The Hugo, Oklahoma, facility was established as ShowMe Tigers — Easley’s traveling big cat show — increased its focus on conservation and looked for a permanent home where visitors could learn about its retired circus animals, according to the Growler Pines website.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Aussie star has been associating with The New Day since his regular tag team partner, Austin Theory, was sidelined with an injury.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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Commit to regularly offering valuable insights so people start recognizing your name and associating it with expertise.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When the tiny home arrives, a semi-permanent setup is as easy as leveling the surface, hooking up utilities, and anchoring the home, if desired, which can be accomplished with the help of the builder’s team.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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The guest list includes Jere (Gavin Casalegno), who’s been self-medicating by hooking up with Steven’s coworkers and Taylor’s friends.—
Sara Netzley,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The former vice president also gave a less-than-effusive endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist running to become the next New York City mayor.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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His upper half is running the play while his lower half is plotting an escape route.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There are a number of great kitchenware deals kicking around, including markdowns on nonstick and stainless steel cookware, air fryers, Keurigs, and immersion blenders.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
23 Sep. 2025
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None is more important than what’s been kicking around for at least six decades, a project to bolster California’s north-to-south shipments of water by bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messing%20around. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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