lark around
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to behave in a playful or mischievous way, often by making jokes or playing tricks.
phrasal verb. to act in a lighthearted or teasing manner, typically involving harmless pranks or teasing; informal phrasal verb.
The children larked around in the garden all afternoon.
During the meeting, the new intern kept larking around, much to the boss's frustration.
The sailors, having larked around all morning with the deck chairs, finally settled down for lunch.
- mess around
- joke around
- play pranks
- tease
- behave seriously
- act respectfully
- remain focused
- Particles
- around
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- lark + around + object
followed by a place or situation where the playful behavior occurs.
contrast with 'mess around' (more chaotic) and 'joke around' (more focused on humor); all are informal but differ in nuance.
They larked in the park.They larked around in the park.'around' is required to convey the playful, wandering nature of the action.
Last updated April 24, 2026