1
as in to clown (around)
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
stop monkeying around in the house or you'll break something
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to goof (around)
to spend time in aimless activity
would rather just monkey around instead of doing work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey (around)
Verb
-
Fayetteville Sad Palomino’s Will King releases a collection of home recordings In between horsing around with his longtime band Sad Palomino, Will King has been recording and trying to decide the best way to share songs, mostly written during winters from 2020 to 2025.—
Monica Hooper,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025 -
The sport requires a combination of elegance and toughness as a team of eight girls wear long gowns, perfectly matching accessories and impeccable makeup while riding horses around an arena.—
Daniel Eduardo Hernandez,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Sarah Snook, who played Shiv Roy on that HBO drama, was nominated (and went on to win!), following in the footsteps of her costars Jeremy Strong and Keiran Culkin.—
Melissa Locker,
Time,
9 June 2025
-
While some sleep or watch movies, a small group plays poker.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
As Molly and Guy start to fool around, things get hot and heavy, but Ernie has a job to do.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
-
As Molly and Guy start to fool around, things get hot and heavy, but Ernie has a job to do.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The mower can cut up to a full acre on a single charge.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
-
Old towels cut up into rags do a great job of removing this soft flux once the copper pipe is cool enough to touch.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
Kim Kardashian's oldest daughter North West has a new look The 11-year-old showed off her vibrant blue hair on her mom's Instagram account Kardashian shares her four kids with ex-husband, Kanye West Kim Kardashian's oldest daughter has a brand new look.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
6 June 2025
-
Make a Statement with Lighting With its midcentury table, Lucite chairs, and bare white walls, the Kells' dining room is quite spare and restrained—all the better to show off a chandelier with a rainbow of glass teardrops.—
Amy Panos,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
-
Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
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.
Cite this Entry
“Monkey (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey%20%28around%29. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share