fool around
verb
variants or chiefly British fool about
fooled around; fooling around; fools around
intransitive verb
1
: to behave in a way that is not very serious
When it comes to safety, we don't fool around.
often, specifically : to spend time idly, aimlessly, or frivolously
Later in the day, the three of us were fooling around, waiting for Mr. Michaels to get class started. 
Marilyn Reynolds
Marilyn Reynolds 2
: to engage in casual sexual activity
She found out that her partner had been fooling around on her. [=having sex with someone else]
see also fool around with 
Synonyms
- act up
- clown (around)
- cut up
- horse around
- hotdog
- monkey (around)
- show off
- showboat
- skylark
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt we fooled around outdoors for a while, then went in to get some work done
Word History
First Known Use
1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1
fool around
verb
1
as in to horse around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior quit fooling around on the jungle gym, or you'll get hurt Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- horse around
- cut up
- show off
- clown (around)
- act up
- revel
- hotdog
- monkey (around)
- showboat
- roar
- skylark
- carry on
- misbehave
- lark
- caper
- frisk
- frolic
- romp
- cavort
- maffick
- gambol
- carouse
- roughhouse
- wassail
- rollick
- disport
2
as in to mess around
to spend time in aimless activity we fooled around outdoors for a while, then went in to get some work done Synonyms & Similar Words
- mess around
- play
- fribble
- hang about
- goof (around)
- kick around
- fiddle (around)
- doodle
- monkey (around)
- horse around
- trifle
- putter (around)
- potter (around)
- lounge
- idle
- hang (around or out)
- loaf
- clown (around)
- dawdle
- dillydally
- tinker
- dally
- loll
- diddle (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- settle (down)
- buckle (down)
- set (to)
- knuckle down