monkey with

phrasal verb

monkeyed with; monkeying with; monkeys with
informal
: to handle or play with (something) in a careless way : to monkey around with (something)
I told you not to monkey with the lawn mower.

Examples of monkey with in a Sentence

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As much as legal types are justly ill-disposed toward monkeying with the Constitution’s protections of free speech, there’s precedent for overriding such concerns in the advertising arena. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 Feb. 2025 In the following scene, Scott’s character tries to destroy the monkey with a flame thrower, another practical effect. Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025

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“Monkey with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monkey%20with. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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