monkey (around)

verb

Definition of monkey (around)next
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

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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)
  1. horse around
  2. play
  3. fool around
  4. hang about
  5. cut up
  6. show off
Verb
  • Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.
    — Stephen Whyno, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
  • Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.
    — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Definition of horse around
Verb
  • He was evaluated by the medical staff, hit in the cage and decided to play.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • Some Wordlers also play Competitive Wordle against friends, family, the Wordle Bot or even against me, your humble narrator.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of play
Verb
  • Another horny couple on vacation couldn’t wait until their flight landed to fool around and insisted on doing so in the plane's cabin.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of fool around
Verb
  • President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 17 June 2026
  • On Monday, May 18, a 7%-illuminated crescent will hang about two degrees from Venus, with Jupiter about 20 degrees above.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 May 2026
Definition of hang about
Verb
  • Everything is cut up and put together through chance operations into what Cage called a Musicircus.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • During the matchup, Jeter dove into the stands in the top of the 12th inning to catch a foul ball, emerging from the crowd cut up and bruised.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 June 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Rancho Cucamonga gets to show off many of its top skill-position players.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Creators on social media are showing off their dramatic tan lines and outdoor set-ups — some even forgoing sun protection or adding tanning bed sessions.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of show off
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

monkey
monkey (around)
monkey business
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Cite this Entry

“Monkey (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey%20%28around%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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