MONKEYING (AROUND) Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

monkeying (around)

verb

present participle of monkey (around)

as in clowning (around)

to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior stop monkeying around in the house or you'll break something

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in fiddling (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 monkeying (around)

Verb

One reason being that the videographer kept cutting up [a slab of] meat for the castle owner.

— Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2026
Cut the half into thin wedges by making ½-inch slices lengthwise through the onion, cutting up to, but not through, the root end.

— Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of cutting up

Verb

Fele Martínez has this incredible ability to be funny without playing comedy.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
And in the battle for control of the Senate, Republicans are now playing defense and spending tens of millions of dollars in some of the most Republican states in the country.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of playing

Verb

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
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

Definition of fooling around

Verb

Along with large, three-sided sofas, pool side loungers, and a fireplace for chilly evenings, this area overlooks the city, showing off panoramic views across LA.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Quarterbacks have been the story at midseason, with teams passing a lot more and quarterbacks showing off their ability to run and pass.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of showing off

Verb

There will be no more messing around with draggy eye pencils or the emperor’s new eye shadows.

— Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
Both of France’s sons seem to appreciate imaginative play over messing around with action figures, something that makes perfect sense given France’s own love for the arts.

— Marah Eakin, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of messing around

Verb

President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.

— USA Today, USA Today, 17 June 2026
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

Definition of hanging about

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Browse Nearby Words

monkeying

monkeying (around)

monkeying (with)

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“Monkeying (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeying%20%28around%29. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of monkeying (around)

verb

Example Sentences

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