1
as in to clown (around)
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
stop monkeying around in the house or you'll break something
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to goof (around)
to spend time in aimless activity
would rather just monkey around instead of doing work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey (around)
Verb
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Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.—
Stephen Whyno,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026 -
Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
That was the game Towns played.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Mia Arguelles, who typically plays midfielder, filled in at goalkeeper due to injuries and made two saves for Andrew (7-6-1, 3-2).—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another horny couple on vacation couldn’t wait until their flight landed to fool around and insisted on doing so in the plane's cabin.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His life has come to the reader in bits and pieces, a collage, or, like his poems, a cut up.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
-
People in yards cut up tree trunks and piled tree branches.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Perhaps the use of fish-eye lensing loses its novelty and the exotic camera angles occasionally feel more about showing off than taking us inside the story.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
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Kristen Kish shows off her knife-sharpening skills at Studio City Farmers Market on May 3 in Los Angeles.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.—
Kristin Braswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Monkey (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey%20%28around%29. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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