# fool around

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fool-around
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To engage in frivolous behaviour; to monkey around.

## Examples

- Stop fooling around and finish your homework.
- The teacher told the students to stop fooling around because they had a big exam tomorrow.
- Instead of focusing on the urgent project, the team spent the entire afternoon fooling around with minor, unimportant details.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.