1 A2 informal
To be playful and make jokes, especially in a relaxed, casual situation.
"The friends spent the evening joking around and laughing at old stories."
joke around
A2 informal intransitive
To behave in a playful, humorous way; to make jokes and not be serious.
In plain English
To say funny things and not be serious.
What does "joke around" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 informal
To not be serious about something important; to treat something as a joke.
"This is a serious matter — I'm not joking around."
Usage tip
Very common in everyday spoken English. Often used in negative contexts ('stop joking around') or to clarify seriousness ('I'm not joking around'). Suitable for all ages and informal settings.
Words that pair with "joke around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
stop quit just always friends office
How to conjugate "joke around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
joke around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
jokes around
he/she/it
Past simple
joked around
yesterday
Past participle
joked around
have + pp
-ing form
joking around
continuous
Hear "joke around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "joke around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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