to fuck around

Examples

• All

• I got no time to fuck around with you.

  F/X (1986)

• Enough fucking around.

  Beerfest (2006)

• So sure, watch TV, fuck around on the Internet.

  Bedros Keuilian

• Come on, quit fucking around.

  Fiction book (2002)

• All right, Jerry, I'm through fucking around.

  Fiction book (1996)

• Come on, man, we ain't fucking around.

  Small Apartments (2012)

• I don't want to fuck around with you.

  Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

• Stop fucking around.

  Alien: Romulus (2024)

• Quit fucking around.

  Craving (2023)

• We need to stop fucking around and start focusing on our goals.

Synonyms

F

to fool around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

148 3.6

Act in a silly, playful way instead of working

is more about careless or irresponsible behaviour rather than light play

M

to mess around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

133 4.1

To spend time doing playful or unplanned activities

moves beyond mere idleness to include careless or irresponsible action

M

to messing

vsto fuck around

• Informal

127 3.5

To act in a careless, playful way instead of doing something important

is more about deliberate irresponsibility than light playfulness

P

to play fast and loose

vsto fuck around

• Informal

9 8.0

Act in a careless way by ignoring rules and other people's feelings

adds the idea of wasting time as well as this irresponsibility

M

to mess about

vsto fuck around

• UK

7 5.9

To spend time somewhere doing nothing special

is more active and careless, involving refusal to act responsibly

M

to monkey around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

7 7.3

Waste time by acting silly instead of working

adds a sharper sense of neglect or irresponsibility to that silliness

M

to muck around

vsto fuck around

• UK

6 8.4

To spend time doing not important things in a relaxed way

is more strongly about careless or reckless conduct rather than gentle idling

F

to futz

vsto fuck around

• Slang

4 9.6

To waste time doing small unimportant tasks

emphasizes wasting time combined with careless or irresponsible behaviour

B

to bum around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

4 7.9

Spend time doing very little or nothing

is more about careless or irresponsible action rather than relaxed laziness

F

to futz around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

2 9.2

To spend time doing small unimportant things instead of working

implies greater carelessness or refusal to act responsibly rather than simple idling

P

to piddle

vsto fuck around

• Informal

2 8.7

To waste time doing small unimportant things

leans more toward active carelessness or irresponsible conduct than mere idleness

P

to piss around

vsto fuck around

• Offensive

2 9.9

To waste time doing unimportant or silly things instead of doing something important

is similar but also often implies careless or risky behaviour

P

to piss about

vsto fuck around

• Offensive

1 9.9

To waste time by behaving in a silly or unproductive way instead of working

stresses stronger carelessness and deliberate irresponsibility beyond avoidance

F

to faff

vsto fuck around

• UK

1 9.9

To spend time on small, unimportant tasks instead of getting things done

is more about careless or irresponsible behaviour beyond mere distraction

F

to fuckle with

vsto fuck around

• Offensive

1 9.9

To touch or change something carelessly, used in slang

is broader, adding wasting time and general irresponsibility to that action

P

to piddling around

vsto fuck around

• Informal

1 8.6

To spend time doing small unimportant things with no real plan

is stronger, implying careless or irresponsible behaviour rather than relaxed idling

W

to wank around

vsto fuck around

• Offensive

1 9.9

To waste time instead of doing something useful

carries a stronger edge of careless or irresponsible conduct rather than light avoidance

P

to piddle away

vsto fuck around

• Informal

1 8.6

Spend time or money on unimportant things

leans more toward careless or irresponsible conduct rather than simple inefficiency

F

to frig around

vsto fuck around

• Slang

1 9.9

To waste time instead of doing something useful

is more focused on careless or irresponsible action rather than simple laziness

A

to arse around

vsto fuck around

• Offensive

1 9.9

To waste time doing silly or lazy things instead of useful work

leans more toward careless or irresponsible conduct rather than mere silliness

Antonyms

F

focus

∞ 3.5

Close attention to one subject or activity

How Careless

to fuck around

• Offensive

104 9.9

goofing off

• Informal

19 7.7

to mess around

• Informal

133 4.1

to dawdle

17 5.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology