screwing around

verb

present participle of screw around
as in cheating
to be sexually unfaithful he hired a private detective because he thought his wife was screwing around

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of screwing around The informative thing was Lestat screwing around with me. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 23 June 2026 Mercedes is truly not screwing around with the new EQS. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Apr. 2026 What if some big musician is screwing around at sound check and sings one of [Spinal Tap’s] songs. — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwing around
  1. cheating
  2. stepping out
Verb
  • With all respect to West’s previous cheating-on-television canon, War might be his finest adulterous work.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Wood was vindicated three years later, when a league investigation revealed the Astros had been cheating in 2017, stealing signs from a television monitor next to the dugout and relaying them to batters by banging on trash cans.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • This week, Katie Holmes delivered something of a style coup, stepping out wearing not one, but two trending accessories.
    — Olivia Allen, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The star just made a case for the ultimate celeb street-style uniform, stepping out in a classic trench coat, black boots, and oversized sunglasses.
    — Vivien Lee, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of stepping out

Browse Nearby Words

screwing
screwing around
screwing up
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Cite this Entry

“Screwing around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwing%20around. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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