monkey around

phrasal verb

monkeyed around; monkeying around; monkeys around
informal
: to do things that are not useful or serious : to waste time
We just monkeyed around all afternoon.
a young scientist monkeying around in the lab

Examples of monkey around in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Then Weta, the special effects wizards behind Apes and Lord of the Rings, decided to monkey around Williams. EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024 Moreover, monkeying around with the section’s wording could set off a process under which the viewpoint diversity facilitated by social media is eaten away, with results that few conservatives are likely to appreciate. The Editors, National Review, 10 Oct. 2024 Although the route doesn’t have all the elements of most via ferratas—no ladders to climb or rungs to monkey around on—the narrow 600-foot crossing, with its bird’s eye view of more than half a dozen hanging glaciers and the lush Chugach temperate rainforest, still requires climbing safety gear. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Ashley Tisdale's family isn't monkeying around this Halloween! Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023

Dictionary Entries Near monkey around

Cite this Entry

“Monkey around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monkey%20around. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on monkey around

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!