mess around

verb

messed around; messing around; messes around
Synonyms of mess aroundnext

intransitive verb

1
: to waste time : dawdle, idle
2
a
: associate
didn't mess around with gangs
b
: flirt, philander

Synonyms of mess around

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Examples of mess around in a Sentence

spent the vacation day just messing around a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The buckle on the Jordan clogs is a great touch, and the arch support isn’t messing around. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 9 Aug. 2026 The Chicago Cubs weren’t messing around at the trade deadline. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 After last year’s underwhelming trade deadline, Hoyer’s front office did not mess around. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Having worked in the public health sector for most of her career, my mom does not mess around with germs. — Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mess around

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mess around was in 1918

Rhymes for mess around

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Browse Nearby Words

Messapii
mess around
mess around with (something)
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Cite this Entry

“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mess%20around. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mess around

Nglish: Translation of mess around for Spanish Speakers

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