# mess around with

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mess-around-with
Updated: 2026-07-26

## Definition

to spend time playing with something or changing it, often without a serious plan; it can also mean to touch something you should not.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is messing around my phone." but "He is messing around with my phone." — the preposition 'with' is essential to connect the action to the object being handled.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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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.