1 B1 idiomatic informal
To spend time doing silly or unimportant things; to play or idle.
"Stop mucking about and start on your homework."
inseparable
muck about
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To behave in a silly, aimless, or time-wasting way, or to treat someone carelessly.
In plain English
To waste time doing silly or unimportant things, or to treat someone badly.
What does "muck about" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To treat someone inconsiderately, wasting their time or not keeping promises.
"The agency kept mucking us about with last-minute schedule changes."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
'Muck' means dirt or mess — the phrase conjures fiddling around in mud, suggesting unproductive activity.
Actually means
To waste time doing silly or unimportant things, or to treat someone badly.
Usage tip
Distinctly British English. In the intransitive sense, it means to play or idle. In the transitive sense ('muck someone about'), it means to treat someone inconsiderately or waste their time. American English speakers would usually say 'mess around' or 'fool around'.
Words that pair with "muck about"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
stop time waste children boss friends
How to conjugate "muck about"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
muck about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
mucks about
he/she/it
Past simple
mucked about
yesterday
Past participle
mucked about
have + pp
-ing form
mucking about
continuous
Hear "muck about" in the wild
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Other ways to say "muck about"
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