as in joking
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
when he saw us spraying each other with the hose instead of washing the car, Dad yelled, "Cut out the horseplay!"
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Recent Examples of horseplay
Both were loud, laughing presences in the locker room and deeply involved in much of its horseplay.
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Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2024
The earlier incidents involved horseplay and fighting.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2024
Nearly 2,500 students received referrals for horseplay, and there were more than 1,400 referrals for profanity or vulgarity toward students or staff.
—Rebecca Grapevine, The Courier-Journal, 1 Mar. 2024
Simply the presence of Steve Van Zandt, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan—E Streeters for nearly all of the ensemble’s 50-plus years—is a bedrock tradition, and source of horseplay and looseness that can only come from such lifelong love among friends.
—Steve Hochman, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for horseplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horseplay
Noun
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This makes the roughhouse ballet a satisfying bridge to the final scene in Roberta’s room, where their vulnerabilities are revealed.—
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Weighing between eight and 10 pounds, these pooches are not ideal for young kids who tend to roughhouse.—
Noun
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The tomfoolery that's going on in D.C., that's just regular everyday business to Black folks.—
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Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my commentary.—
Noun
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There are no gilded gates here, but there is one heck of a party, complete with serenading busts, ballroom dancers, excitable opera singers, drunken buffoonery and portraits locked in an endless duel.—
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What’s so special about Britain’s patron wanker of bighearted buffoonery?—
Noun
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Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.—
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The Winx Club live action is a big clownery!—
Noun
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The final moments of the 119-113 loss were stuffed with the slapstick goofiness expected from a Tuesday night matchup between two sub-500 teams.—
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Ani’s fight for their relationship, which turns literal at times, is alternately slapstick and touching.—
Noun
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The brand’s monkey business button-up collared shirt was worn by Blackpink’s Lisa in one of the opening scenes of the premiere episode.—
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Theo James and Theo James are getting into some serious monkey business.—
Articles Related to horseplay
Cite this Entry
“Horseplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horseplay. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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