Phrasal verb
mess around with
Definition
phrasal verb. to spend time playing with something or changing it, often without a serious plan; it can also mean to touch something you should not.
phrasal verb. to engage in aimless or experimental activity with an object or system; often carries a negative connotation of interference or lack of expertise.
Examples
“Stop messing around with my computer settings.”
“He spent the whole afternoon messing around with the old radio, trying to get it to work again.”
“The technician warned the staff not to mess around with the delicate calibration of the laboratory equipment, as even a minor adjustment could ruin the results.”
Examples
simple
“Stop messing around with my computer settings.”
contextual
“He spent the whole afternoon messing around with the old radio, trying to get it to work again.”
complex
“The technician warned the staff not to mess around with the delicate calibration of the laboratory equipment, as even a minor adjustment could ruin the results.”
Usage
usually followed by a physical object or a technical system; implies the person is not an expert.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'tinker with' (more positive/constructive) and 'meddle with' (more intrusive/harmful); 'mess around with' is the most common informal choice for general experimentation.
Pitfall
He is messing around my phone.
He is messing around with my phone.
the preposition 'with' is essential to connect the action to the object being handled.
Phrasal verb
Particles
around with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
mess + around + with + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/mess-around-with