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futz around

B2 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words

To waste time doing nothing important, or to fiddle around without a clear goal.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic informal

To waste time doing nothing useful; to engage in aimless, unproductive activity.

"Stop futzing around and help me figure out what's wrong with this code."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic informal

To tinker or fiddle aimlessly with things, especially without a clear purpose or plan.

"He spent the whole Saturday futzing around in his workshop without finishing anything."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Distinctly American; rarely heard outside the US. 'Futz' likely derives from Yiddish. Informal but not vulgar — usable in most casual settings. Implies idle, unproductive behaviour but without the negative moral judgment of 'fuck around'.

Commonly used with

all day stop instead of in the garage online all afternoon

Forms

Base
futz around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
futzes around
he/she/it
Past simple
futzed around
yesterday
Past participle
futzed around
have + pp
-ing form
futzing around
continuous

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Synonyms

mess around fool around putter around fiddle around goof around tinker around

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