Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing (around)
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
Verb
-
Mercedes is truly not screwing around with the new EQS.—
Andrew J. Hawkins,
The Verge,
13 Apr. 2026
-
What if some big musician is screwing around at sound check and sings one of [Spinal Tap’s] songs.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
-
But Clarkson isn't stepping out of the spotlight completely.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
-
But the 40-year-old has found a new calling since stepping out of the pool, becoming one of the most prominent and outspoken advocates for mental health and well-being in sports and beyond.—
Coy Wire,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
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
“Playing (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20%28around%29. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
