1
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
spent the vacation day just messing around
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to travel
to come or be together as friends
if you continue to mess around with such narrow-minded boobs, you'll begin to think and act like them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mess around
With floor-sweeping hems and bold colors, this season’s fashion isn’t messing around.
—
Ola Rindal Delphine Danhier, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Not messing around with different formations and trying to be too smart like GoN was.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The soap comes in a refillable EZ-Squeeze bottle that is cap-down (similar to Dawn Platinum), which contributes to less mess around the dispenser.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
The boy rolled his eyes in boredom, and then began to mess around, putting his fingers in his dad’s ears as Musk struggled to listen to reporters’ questions.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Ola Rindal Delphine Danhier, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Not messing around with different formations and trying to be too smart like GoN was.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The soap comes in a refillable EZ-Squeeze bottle that is cap-down (similar to Dawn Platinum), which contributes to less mess around the dispenser.
—Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
The boy rolled his eyes in boredom, and then began to mess around, putting his fingers in his dad’s ears as Musk struggled to listen to reporters’ questions.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess around
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess around
Verb
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Engage Your Senses In a shared office environment, playing loud music or lighting a scented candle is frowned upon.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Jordan plays Miss Bonita, a pretty teacher who has caught the attention of Cory (Kyle Massey).—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The index, which sits at the heart of many investors’ 401(k) accounts, has been flirting with a drop of 20% from its record set less than two months ago.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
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The market understands that Trump is way out over his skis on this, and is going to send him a message this week hammering that home (S&P flirting with bear market territory this morning).—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Yet, as so often happens in the sport, Estrada did not travel a straight line to big-league prosperity.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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The incident comes some seven years after an American missionary, John Allen Chau, traveled to the same island with a bible.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Those who crave the thrill of a victory may embody the competitor. Bigger, bolder personalities may shine as jokers, always fooling around, or as storytellers, bringing imagination to life.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
23 Feb. 2025
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While Mark and Helly were fooling around, Helly wasn’t fulfilling her promise to go get the directions Irving left tucked behind Dylan’s motivational poster.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Similar to the way Mercury retrograde is often to blame for miscommunication and misunderstandings, Venus retrograde is associated with beauty, love and self-worth.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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For the better half of the past decade, the 32-year-old Newburyport, Mass., native has been most closely associated with his role as the world's best babysitter, Steve Harrington, on Netflix's Stranger Things, a character who works at Family Video by day and fights demogorgons by night.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Drivers including Ken Miles, Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Bob Bondurant, and Carroll Shelby have also run the course.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2025
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His parents, who tell THR their son is taking the abrupt introduction to fame in stride, perch nearby, ready to run him home after the shoot.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
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The big picture: The nine-block shopping district got its own Art Deco-style sign on Monday, which now hangs about 25 feet in the air over Cary Street by Burtons Grill & Bar.—
Sabrina Moreno,
Axios,
1 Oct. 2024
Verb
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After Brosnahan took home her Emmy statuette in 2018, Malek eventually approached her at a New York City music festival to bond over their good fortune involving Sherman-Palladino.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2025
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Since birth, Tucker has been backstage bonding with his mother Mara, who has given birth twice previously.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20around. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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