fool around with

USAGE SUMMARY

"fool around with" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean to mess around with, play with, toy with, or experiment with something. For example: John enjoys fooling around with his new camera to take photographs.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"You don't fool around with concussions.

The New York Times - Sports

They can fool around with the puck and avoid contact.

The New Yorker

That you won't fool around with his video machine anymore.

The New Yorker

"He didn't want to fool around with these people anymore".

The New Yorker

"They're not going to fool around with this now".

The New York Times

"This is not something you can fool around with.

The New York Times

"She likes to fool around with them," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

"But I don't think you fool around with cancer.

The New York Times - Sports

They could even fool around with another great innovation, the typewriter.

The New York Times

"Why fool around with all of these exotics?" Dr. Glaser recalled.

The New York Times - Science

I do fool around with my appearance in less dramatic ways sometimes.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When advising someone to explore software features, suggest they "fool around with" the settings to become more familiar with the interface.

Common error

Avoid using "fool around with" in contexts where precision or safety is critical; opt for a more formal and precise term like "calibrate", "adjust", or "inspect".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fool around with" functions as a phrasal verb, indicating an action of casual or experimental interaction with something. It's often used to describe playful or non-serious handling, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Wiki

16%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fool around with" is a common phrasal verb used to describe casually experimenting or playing with something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is most frequently found in news and media, as well as in wiki contexts, indicating its informal nature. While widely used, it is best to avoid this term in formal or professional settings, opting for more precise language like "experiment with" or "manipulate" instead. The related phrases, such as "mess around with" and "play around with", offer similar but slightly nuanced alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mess around with

Emphasizes aimless or unskilled handling of something.

play around with

Focuses on lighthearted or recreational interaction.

toy with

Suggests treating something without serious intent.

tamper with

Suggests unauthorized or harmful alteration.

experiment with

Highlights testing or trying out something new.

monkey around with

Emphasizes foolish or clumsy handling.

fiddle with

Implies restless or nervous handling.

tinker with

Suggests making small adjustments or repairs.

meddle with

Indicates unwanted interference.

dally with

Implies a casual or unserious engagement.

FAQs

How can I use "fool around with" in a sentence?

You can use "fool around with" to describe experimenting or casually playing with something, as in, "He likes to "fool around with" different guitar pedals to create new sounds."

What's a good alternative to "fool around with"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "mess around with", "play around with", or "experiment with".

Is "fool around with" appropriate for formal writing?

No, "fool around with" is generally considered informal. In formal writing, it's better to use more precise alternatives such as "experiment with" or "manipulate" depending on the intended meaning.

What does it mean to "fool around with" something?

To "fool around with" something means to handle or play with it in a casual or experimental way, often without a clear goal or serious intent. It can also imply tampering or making unauthorized changes.