fooled around

verb

past tense of fool around
1
as in horsed around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in played
to spend time in aimless activity we fooled around outdoors for a while, then went in to get some work done

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fooled around Not too long ago, artificial intelligence was more or less a science project in which data scientists and developers fooled around with one-off small or test projects. — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled around
  1. cut up
  2. played
  3. showed off
  4. messed around
  5. acted up
  6. kicked around
Verb
  • Sporting Kansas City joined the vanquished Galaxy and Real Salt Lake on Saturday as LAFC cut up the last-place team in the Western Conference, 4-0.
    — Josh Gross, Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • Use leftover cheese scraps, cut up, in pasta salad, melted in macaroni and cheese, or add to snack boxes.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Tuesday morning’s workout brought a welcome diversion from drills, when SDSU players and coaches moved from the turf to the grass practice field and actually played some football.
    — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Etzel said the controversy surrounding COVID vaccines and vaccine mandates has played a role in fueling skepticism.
    — Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • At a military parade in Beijing last fall, China showed off a dizzying amount of new missiles, including a range of hypersonic vehicles, that many analysts say put the PLA at the forefront of that technology.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In a photo posted to her Instagram account on August 8, the mom of three showed off her toned muscles while rocking a resistance band and balancing her hands on a set of free weights.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of showed off
Verb
  • Then in spring training this year, Hollowell again messed around with different changeup grips while incorporating mental cues from previous coaches, and something clicked with a circle-change grip.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • Dragstrem, who focuses more on production, has messed around with it but was left unsatisfied; McGill, who’s more lyrics-driven, wants nothing to do with the tech.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2026
Definition of messed around
Verb
  • And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
Definition of acted up
Verb
  • No balls were kicked around, but a first impression was made about a pitch that’s cropped tighter than a Pebble Beach fairway yet in impressive shape after four games over 11 days.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • Near a door leading to a loading dock, a group of players on the host Vegas Golden Knights — including forward Mitch Marner, who went on to score a regulation hat trick in a 5-4 win — stood in a circle and kicked around a soccer ball.
    — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 8 June 2026
Definition of kicked around

Browse Nearby Words

fooled
fooled around
fooled (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Fooled around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled%20around. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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