fool with

phrasal verb

fooled with; fooling with; fools with
informal
1
: to handle or play with (something) in a careless way
Don't fool with that gun.
2
: to deal with or be involved with (something that causes or that could cause trouble)
The company doesn't want to fool with small distributors.
3
: to deal with (someone) in a way that may cause anger or violence
I wouldn't want to fool with that guy.

Examples of fool with in a Sentence

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.
So thank you to Teeny for being bold enough and brave enough to risk looking the fool with all their pronouncements. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024 But if Jon Snow were to show up wearing a jetpack and blasting fools with a plasma rifle, that would be implausible—even within a fantasy setting (or perhaps especially within that setting). Erik Kain, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Picking your trolling motor up halfway out of the water and skimming your way back into a backwater is something 90% of bass anglers won’t fool with. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 10 July 2024 Contestants shoot from the lip and from the quip at each other, dueling and fooling with a topic that they’re given on the spot. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024

Cite this Entry

“Fool with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fool%20with. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

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