mess around
Waste time idly
Mess around means to spend time idly or without serious purpose: We just messed around all afternoon.
It can suggest aimless tinkering: Don't mess around with the settings.
To mess around with someone often implies a casual sexual relationship or infidelity: He's been messing around with his coworker.
The phrase also means to treat someone carelessly or deceptively: Don't mess around with me.
Use moments unproductively
- kill timePass hours aimlessly
- loafBaked bread shape
- dawdleLinger without purpose
- lollygagIdle aimlessly, delay
dilly-dally · piddle · putter · tinker · fiddle · loiter · linger · procrastinate
Idle instead of working
- roughhouseRowdy physical play
- horseplayBoisterous rough behavior
- tomfooleryFoolish or silly behavior
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
prank · mischief · antic · caper · lark · jest · tease · banter
Adjust idly or nervously
- play withInteract recreationally with
- toy withEngage halfheartedly with
- tweakMinor adjustment
- adjustChange to fit better
experiment · dabble · explore · try out · improvise · hack · modify · test
Forceful toss, or tryst
- hookupCasual sexual encounter
- cheatAct dishonestly to win
- infidelityDisloyalty to a partner
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
dalliance · two-time · unfaithful · philander · liaison · tryst · extramarital · affair
waste time
Use moments unproductively
lollygag · dilly-dally · piddle · putter · tinker · fiddle · loiter · linger · procrastinate · slack off
goof off
Idle instead of working
- roughhouseRowdy physical play
- horseplayBoisterous rough behavior
- tomfooleryFoolish or silly behavior
shenanigans · prank · mischief · antic · caper · lark · jest · tease · banter · romp
fiddle with
Adjust idly or nervously
adjust · experiment · dabble · explore · try out · improvise · hack · modify · test · trial and error
fling
Forceful toss, or tryst
- hookupCasual sexual encounter
- cheatAct dishonestly to win
- infidelityDisloyalty to a partner
adultery · dalliance · two-time · unfaithful · philander · liaison · tryst · extramarital · affair · indiscretion
interfere
Obstruct or meddle uninvited
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- vandalizeDeliberately damage property
- damageHarm or impairment
break · ruin · spoil · disturb · disrupt · mishandle · botch · bungle · wreck · destroy
- mischiefmischief, hijinks, antics, pranks, antic
- idlingidle, idled, loaf, loafed, laze
- putting on an actput on an act, pretend, fake it, masquerade, sham
- swing danceslindy hop, Lindy Hop, jitterbug, east coast swing, Charleston
mess aroundget serious
buckle down · get down to business · focus · knuckle down · apply oneself
mess aroundwork hard
Expend serious effort
commit · give one's all · go all in · strive · persevere
mess, around, meddle, tamper, messing around, muck about, messed around