mess around

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as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 mess around Not messing around with different formations and trying to be too smart like GoN was. Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 The soap comes in a refillable EZ-Squeeze bottle that is cap-down (similar to Dawn Platinum), which contributes to less mess around the dispenser. Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025 The boy rolled his eyes in boredom, and then began to mess around, putting his fingers in his dad’s ears as Musk struggled to listen to reporters’ questions. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2025 Instead, a show that wants to purposefully mess around with its own patterns also can’t help but fall back into some unfortunate old grooves. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mess around
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess around
Verb
  • Others lament that young people will lose the chance to build up fluid mental math skills while playing: develop number sense, compute sums and products, budget, compare value, think strategically or reason using simple probability.
    Ann Rutledge, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Jericho Rosales plays Quezon, and the cast also includes Mon Confiado, Benjamin Alves, Karylle Yuzon, Romnick Sarmenta, J.C. Santos and Cris Villanueva.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Lino asks out Alex, who’s also been flirting with Brion.
    Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Stocks have plunged, with the Nasdaq falling into correction (a decline of 10% from its recent high) and the S&P 500 flirting with that inauspicious territory.
    David Goldman, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Family of 4 picks up and moves overseas to travel the world, share more life experiences The Niblett family left their home in England and moved to Bali for the first stop of their year of traveling.
    Ashley J. DiMella Fox News, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • If any of the men in black and white lacked motivation, the merest glances to the fans who’d traveled in their droves from the North-east would refuel them in an instant.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Those who crave the thrill of a victory may embody the competitor. Bigger, bolder personalities may shine as jokers, always fooling around, or as storytellers, bringing imagination to life.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025
  • While Mark and Helly were fooling around, Helly wasn’t fulfilling her promise to go get the directions Irving left tucked behind Dylan’s motivational poster.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Here are 5 ways to store and organize recipe cards along with three ways to preserve their handwriting and the fond memories associated.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The samples are being tested for carcinogens associated with wildfires that burn into urban areas.
    John Bonifield, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Hardman, who played collegiately at Georgia, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Jacob Wong heads up the Hong Kong International Film Festival Industry Office, the organization that coordinates such initiatives as the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which runs as a Filmart sidebar.
    Clifford Coonan, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.
    Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
  • The big picture: The nine-block shopping district got its own Art Deco-style sign on Monday, which now hangs about 25 feet in the air over Cary Street by Burtons Grill & Bar.
    Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Cu bump interconnect process to bond the silicon PD (Photodetector) pixels to the electronic readout circuit.
    Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Whereas cars shut us off from other people, bikes open up opportunities to bond.
    Elizabeth Endicott, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20around. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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