as in funning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
all that monkeying was sure to end in someone or something getting hurt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in ornery
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeying
Adjective
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That ornery cleric was Moqtada al-Sadr, the son of Mohammad Sadiq al-Sadr, a grand ayatollah assassinated almost certainly by Saddam’s order in 1999.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025 -
Their aggressive, ornery, and unpredictable nature has earned them the nickname Black Death.—
Kris Millgate,
Outdoor Life,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ice Spice was credited for helping to bring back the style, while Latto was accused of copying her.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Instead of copying your yoga instructor or your wildly bendy friend, try the seven moves listed below.—
Jenny McCoy,
Outside,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Finally, after plenty of clowning, Taylor Swift has revealed that her 12th album is on the way, titled The Life of a Showgirl.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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If a rascally possum does become a problem, here's how to get rid of it and keep that opossum away.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
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In 1950, scientists deployed a virus called Myxoma to destroy the rascally rabbits.—
Bethany Brookshire,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 Dec. 2022
Verb
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Using an ice chamber, the team froze mixtures of water, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia to a bone-chilling –420 degrees Fahrenheit (-253 degrees Celsius), mimicking frigid conditions near the moon's surface.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The future of marketing for SMBs doesn’t lie in mimicking enterprise strategies.—
Ashot Barseghyan,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite the austerity of her ambitions, there are moments of lush imagination that leaven the tone somewhat, like a dream sequence in which Teresa, furiously making bread in the middle of the night, is teased by an impish child.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
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With an impish grin, the young star carried the film with the confidence of actors four times his age, landing a Golden Globe nomination for his efforts.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Painters and sculptors, most of them spend their careers imitating themselves, in a sense.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
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Paul fears art imitating life by also boiling down to breadline survival strategies.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Monkeying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeying. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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