noun

horseplay

Horseplay (noun) means rough, boisterous play or messing around, sometimes leading to accidental injury. Example: “The teacher told the boys to cut out the horseplay before someone got hurt.”

noun

Rough, boisterous play or messing around, sometimes leading to accidental injury.

"The teacher told the boys to cut out the horseplay before someone got hurt."

"A bit of horseplay in the pool turned into a real dunking contest."

How to Use Horseplay

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRowdy, physical fooling around, often among friends or kids.

Common pairings

engage in horseplay rough horseplay

Word Forms

horseplayed past tense, horseplays singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “horseplay” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The teacher told the boys to cut out the _____ before someone got hurt.

Etymology

A compound of horse and play, likely inspired by the rough, clumsy way horses romp together.

Rhymes for horseplay

ay may day say ray hay lay pay jay way yay nay

See all rhymes for horseplay →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “horseplay” mean?

The word “horseplay” means rough, boisterous play or messing around, sometimes leading to accidental injury. In plain terms, rowdy, physical fooling around, often among friends or kids.

How do you use “horseplay” in a sentence?

Here is “horseplay” used in a sentence: “The teacher told the boys to cut out the horseplay before someone got hurt.”

What part of speech is “horseplay”?

“Horseplay” is a noun.