playing (around)

verb

present participle of play (around)
as in fooling around

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing (around)
  1. fooling around
  2. screwing around
  3. stepping out
Verb
  • Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of fooling around
Verb
  • The informative thing was Lestat screwing around with me.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 23 June 2026
  • Mercedes is truly not screwing around with the new EQS.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of screwing around
Verb
  • There’s something very nice about stepping out on a terrace right in the heart of bustling Vancouver to feel the crisp Pacific Northwest air.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But the real risk shows up when leaders let professionals get too comfortable stepping out of the loop instead of staying engaged in the judgment and review the work still requires.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of stepping out
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.

Browse Nearby Words

playing
playing (around)
playing ball
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playing (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20%28around%29. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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