Phrasal verb
mess about
Definition
phrasal verb. to behave in a silly way or spend time doing things that are not useful. You use this when someone is playing instead of working or being serious.
phrasal verb. to engage in aimless or frivolous activity; to behave in a silly or unproductive manner. The verb is primarily intransitive but can take a prepositional object with 'with'.
Examples
“Stop messing about and help me clean the kitchen.”
“The students were messing about at the back of the classroom until the teacher told them to sit down.”
“Rather than addressing the core issues of the contract, the legal teams spent months messing about with minor clerical details.”
Examples
simple
“Stop messing about and help me clean the kitchen.”
contextual
“The students were messing about at the back of the classroom until the teacher told them to sit down.”
complex
“Rather than addressing the core issues of the contract, the legal teams spent months messing about with minor clerical details.”
Usage
This phrase is informal and is often used to tell someone to be more serious.
Teaching tip
Point out that 'mess about' is more common in British English, while 'mess around' is the standard American equivalent.
Pitfall
He was messing about the computer.
He was messing about with the computer.
If you are touching or trying to fix something in a silly way, you must use 'with' before the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
mess + about
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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