as in cheating
to be sexually unfaithful
he hired a private detective because he thought his wife was screwing around
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of screwing around
What if some big musician is screwing around at sound check and sings one of [Spinal Tap’s] songs.
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Melinda Newman, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Melinda Newman, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwing around
Verb
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Billionaire Ronald Burkle is suing political power-broker Darius Anderson, accusing his former protégé and friend of cheating him out of millions of dollars.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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An Arsenal throw-in on their right-hand side, in the 14th minute, prompts chants of ‘Same old Arsenal, always cheating’ as the clock ticks away.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those comely fender flares, the angular head and taillamps that have presence; this is the Mercedes that made stepping out of one feel like a statement again.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
12 Mar. 2026
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Crocs has some spring fresh colors and styles One of the best parts of spring is shedding all your heavy winter layers and stepping out in lighter, brighter fashion — and Crocs is totally on board.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screwing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwing%20around. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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