mess around
verb
messed around; messing around; messes around
intransitive verb
1
: to waste time : dawdle, idle
2
a
: associate
didn't mess around with gangs
b
: flirt, philander
Synonyms
- doodle
- fiddle (around)
- fool around
- fribble
- goof (around)
- hang about [British]
- kick around
- monkey (around)
- play
- potter (around)
- putter (around)
- trifle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
spent the vacation day just messing around a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Word History
First Known Use
1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1
messes around
verb
1
as in fools around
to spend time in aimless activity spent the vacation day just messing around Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fools around
- plays
- fribbles
- hangs about
- goofs (around)
- kicks around
- doodles
- fiddles (around)
- potters (around)
- putters (around)
- horses around
- monkeys (around)
- trifles
- lounges
- dillydallies
- idles
- dawdles
- loafs
- hangs (around or out)
- clowns (around)
- tinkers
- lolls
- dallies
- diddles (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sets (to)
- settles (down)
- buckles (down)
- knuckles down
2
as in flirts
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
- flirts
- coquets
- frivols
- coquettes
- toys
- strings along
- trifles
- vamps
- dallies
- razzes
- leads on
- fools
- ribs
- kids
- woos
- teases
- courts
- mashes
- puts on
- plays (with)
- joshes
- manipulates
3
as in travels
to come or be together as friends if you continue to mess around with such narrow-minded boobs, you'll begin to think and act like them Synonyms & Similar Words
- travels
- associates
- hooks up
- connects
- bonds
- runs
- fraternizes
- mixes
- hangs (around or out)
- joins
- collaborates
- relates
- rubs elbows (with)
- rubs shoulders (with)
- companies
- sorts
- mingles
- pals (around)
- consociates
- takes up with
- chums
- falls in with
- consorts
- befriends
- friends
- groups
- ties
- cooperates
- allies
- hobnobs
- gets along
- rallies
- clubs
- keeps company (with)
- sides
- teams
- attaches
- links
- affiliates
- gets on
- couples
- bands
- gangs
- confederates
- is friends with
- knots
- colludes
- socializes
- leagues
- interrelates
- conjoins
- weds
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- avoids
- shuns
- splits (up)
- snubs
- breaks up
- alienates
- cold-shoulders
- estranges
- disjoins
- splits
- disperses
- disunites
- disbands
- dissociates
- divorces
- severs
- sunders