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

Examples of mess around in a Sentence

spent the vacation day just messing around a guy who goes to the health club mainly to mess around with the women
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Body gua shas typically feature more intense angles and ridges—perfect for regular maintenance and post-strain relief alike (that last Pilates class was not messing around). Allure, 14 Apr. 2025 Taking out this lab could be like taking out Professor Charles Xavier of the X-men and then messing around with Cerebro. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025 For quick messes around the house and in the car, opt for this handheld vacuum with more than 70,600 five-star ratings. Isabel Garcia, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025 Battle League launched a little bit light on content, with only a few stadiums to mess around with, simplified gameplay compared to past games in the series, and a small selection of characters. William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mess around

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mess around was in 1918

Cite this Entry

“Mess around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mess%20around. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mess around

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