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
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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
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for fooled around
Verb
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Everything is cut up and put together through chance operations into what Cage called a Musicircus.
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During the matchup, Jeter dove into the stands in the top of the 12th inning to catch a foul ball, emerging from the crowd cut up and bruised.
Verb
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When Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2024 NBA Finals, his two centers — Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford — were exceptional in their roles as lob threats, blocking shots and rolling to the rim.
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The rivalry is so intense that overnight in Mexico, fans played instruments, sang, and made as much noise as possible outside the Ecuador team hotel to deprive the squad of sleep.
Verb
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The actress showed off micro bangs and a chin-grazing chop for her role as a manager.
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In its first international friendly since March, the US showed off slick offense in a 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 31.
Verb
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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.
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In the email, Dixon suggested that the fire department employee may have messed around with the department's equipment.
Verb
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And of course, Peterson not playing would have made some wonder if the McDonald’s All-American’s hamstring had acted up again.
Verb
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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.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Fooled around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fooled%20around. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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