Our teacher warned us not to try any monkey business while she was out of the room.
the new nanny will not tolerate such monkey business from her charges
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monkey business.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1835
buffoonery, clownery, clowning, foolery, high jinks (also hijinks), horseplay, horsing around, monkeying, monkeyshine(s), roughhouse, roughhousing, shenanigan(s), skylarking, tomfoolery;
childishness, clownishness, foolishness, funning, jesting, joking, nonsense, silliness, waggery;
boisterousness, rambunctiousness, rowdiness, rowdyism, devilry (or deviltry), impishness, knavery, mischief, mischievousness, prankishness, rascality, roguery, roguishness, trickery;
cavorting, frivolity, frolicking, gamboling (or gambolling), merrymaking, playfulness, revelry, roistering, romping, sporting, sportiveness;
: playful tricks or jokes
: illegal or improper activity or behavior
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