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Monkey Around

What Does "Monkey Around" Mean?

homeidiomsMonkey Around
"Monkey around" is an English idiom. It means "to behave in a silly or playful way; to tamper or mess with something."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "monkey around" used in a sentence:
  • Stop monkeying around and get to work!
  • I think someone monkeyed around with the settings on this device.
  • We spent the afternoon monkeying around at the park.
meaning for monkey around

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Monkey Around" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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