as in cheating
to be sexually unfaithful
he hired a private detective because he thought his wife was screwing around
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Recent Examples of screwing around
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwing around
Verb
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Welker asked Trump about his cheating claims.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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Cooper’s girlfriend accused Cooper of cheating and threw his phone against a wall of Cooper’s apartment, according to the affidavit.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
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From channeling bridal style in all-white to stepping out for date night in Zimmermann florals and turning courtside fashion into a moment in Stella McCartney, the artist has been amping up the excitement for her upcoming nuptials.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
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But Clarkson isn't stepping out of the spotlight completely.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screwing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwing%20around. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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