play around

behave in a silly or careless way

What does "play around" mean?

To play around means to behave in a silly, playful, or careless way instead of being serious or focused. It's often used about children who are messing about when they should be doing something else, but it applies to adults too — anyone who isn't treating a situation with the seriousness it deserves. The phrase usually carries a mildly critical tone: the speaker thinks the person should stop and focus. You'll often hear it in imperatives like 'stop playing around' from parents, teachers, or frustrated colleagues. The adverb 'just' sometimes softens it — 'just playing around' — to signal that the behaviour is harmless fun rather than a real problem.

Examples

The children were playing around in the garden instead of doing their homework.
I've been playing around with the app's settings to see if I can improve the battery life.
Stop playing around — we need to finish this before the deadline.

How to use it

play around (no object)

The most common pattern — used on its own when the focus is on the silly or careless behaviour itself.

The kids were playing around in the living room while dinner was being prepared.

stop/keep + playing around

Very commonly used with 'stop' or 'keep' in the gerund form, especially when telling someone to be more serious.

Stop playing around and help me move these boxes.

just + playing around

Adding 'just' softens the activity and signals that the behaviour is harmless fun, not something to worry about.

Don't worry about the noise — the children are just playing around.

play around + in/on/with + place or object

A location or object can follow to describe where the silly behaviour is happening or what's being mishandled.

Please don't play around on the escalator — it's dangerous.

Common Collocations

play around with ideasplay around with settingsstop playing aroundjust playing aroundplay around with the designplay around with code

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'play around' with 'play around with'

'Play around' on its own means to behave in a silly way. 'Play around with something' means to experiment or tinker with it casually — that's a different meaning. The presence or absence of 'with + object' changes the sense.

✗ The engineers were playing around all afternoon. (if you mean they were experimenting with something)

✓ The engineers were playing around with the new software all afternoon.

Confusing 'play around' with 'mess around'

'Mess around' and 'play around' are similar but not identical. 'Mess around' often suggests wasting time or causing minor trouble, while 'play around' sounds lighter and more playful. In some contexts they're interchangeable, but 'play around' has a more innocent, childlike feel.

Using 'play around' in formal writing

'Play around' is informal and conversational. In a report or professional document, you would say 'behave carelessly' or 'not take the task seriously' instead.

✗ Several employees were observed playing around during the safety drill. (too informal for a formal report)

✓ Several employees were observed behaving carelessly during the safety drill.

Usage

This phrasal verb is informal and most natural in spoken English or casual writing. The 'experiment casually' sense is very common in creative and tech contexts, especially with 'just playing around with...' to show the activity is low-pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'play around' always mean behaving in a childish way?

Not necessarily childish, but it does mean not being serious. Adults can play around too — the phrase is used whenever someone is being silly, careless, or not focused when they should be. It's often said with mild disapproval, but it can also be affectionate.

I've heard 'play around' used to mean being unfaithful in a relationship. Is that the same phrasal verb?

It's the same form but a completely different sense. The infidelity meaning exists but is less common in everyday conversation. Context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.

Can I use 'play around' in a work email?

It's best kept for casual communication. In a team chat or friendly email, 'stop playing around' might work with the right tone. In a formal email or report, it would sound too informal.

Is 'play around' more common in British or American English?

It's widely used in both varieties with no significant regional difference in the silly-behaviour sense.

What's the difference between 'play around' and 'fool around'?

'Fool around' is very similar and often interchangeable, but can sound slightly stronger — it sometimes implies the behaviour is more reckless or disruptive. 'Play around' tends to sound lighter and more innocent.

Ready to practise?

Practise 1,000+ English phrasal verbs with interactive gap-fill exercises.

Start Practising →