skylarking 1 of 2

noun

as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior the players often engaged in a bit of roughhousing and skylarking before big games

Synonyms & Similar Words

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skylarking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of skylark
1
as in reveling
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior couldn't resist the temptation to skylark as commencement ceremonies came to a close

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in playing
to engage in activity for amusement he spends his time joking and skylarking, but his brother is serious and industrious

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skylarking
  1. joking
  2. reveling
  3. playing
  4. horseplay
  5. horsing around
  6. frolicking
  7. clowning
  8. cutting up
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking
Verb
  • And on Wednesday, here in Atlanta, the Argentines turned a tourist attraction called Underground Atlanta into Underground Argentina, reveling with drums, chants, and dancing after beating England, 2-1, to earn a place in the championship game.
    — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 18 July 2026
  • The Dodgers’ come-from-behind win in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series clinched a series victory over the Yankees and produced the prevailing image of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and their teammates reveling on the Yankee Stadium diamond.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026
Definition of reveling
Verb
  • Even with their side trip to Utah, Memphis had four of the top seven players in minutes in Vegas, helped by playing a sixth game in the championship.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Only the two teams that make the championship game playing a sixth game, but the Heat is likely out of the mix for the championship game with two losses in Las Vegas.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of playing
Noun
  • When horseplay turns into an impromptu hookup, neither of the young men fight the urge.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
  • After France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, horseplay between the players at the team hotel culminated in back-up centre-back Adil Rami setting off a fire extinguisher in the early hours of the morning.
    — Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Definition of horseplay
Verb
  • Bevel was horsing around with the Reverend James Orange and Andy Young in the courtyard under King's balcony, according to Orange.
    — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
  • In April 2020, Iglesias shared a video of him horsing around with Lucy and Nicholas as the pair attempted to climb on his back for a ride.
    — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Definition of horsing around
Verb
  • This is a world of movers and shakers, and the plots have a frolicking quality that feels complementary to the Bob & Earl song that inspired the title of the first book, Harlem Shuffle.
    — Niela Orr, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • Nothing etches itself in your heart quite like the memory of watching a pack of energetic African wild dogs frolicking, a lioness and her cubs dozing on the Kalahari with your own kids tucked in close.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2026
Definition of frolicking
Noun
  • The clowning might be a little too effortful.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
  • As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of clowning
Verb
  • Using unseen footage from Presley’s 1969 to 1976 Las Vegas residency, the movie plays the hits – plus The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel – but also showcases his sense of humor, quipping with crowds and cutting up with bandmates.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 June 2026
  • Always cutting up and making memories.
    — Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Definition of cutting up
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Skylarking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skylarking. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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