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play around

B1 informal intransitive
In simple words

To have fun without being serious; to try things out casually; or (rude) to cheat on your partner.

Meanings

1 A2 informal

To spend time in a playful, unserious, or experimental way.

"The children spent the whole afternoon playing around in the garden."

2 B1 informal

To experiment informally with ideas, settings, or creative possibilities.

"I've been playing around with different colour palettes for the website redesign."

3 B2 idiomatic informal

To be sexually unfaithful to a romantic partner.

"She left him after she found out he'd been playing around behind her back."

Usage notes

Has two distinct senses: (1) to experiment or have fun casually (neutral); (2) to be sexually unfaithful (can be informal or derogatory). Both senses are common in British and American English. The sexual infidelity sense requires context and is not always intended. Often followed by 'with' to specify what someone is experimenting with.

Commonly used with

ideas design words partner feelings settings

Forms

Base
play around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
plays around
he/she/it
Past simple
played around
yesterday
Past participle
played around
have + pp
-ing form
playing around
continuous

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Synonyms

play about mess around tinker experiment fool around muck around

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