1
as in clowns (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 fiddles (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 monkeys (around)
plays
Verb
-
In an art-imitating-life debut, Wilder, 18, plays the son of his dad's character Everett.—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025 -
As the largest global trade organization of movie theater owners, Cinema United plays a critical role in advocating for the interests of the theatrical experience.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Monkeys (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeys%20%28around%29. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share