barrel of monkeys

bar·rel of mon·keys
UK/ˌbæɹ(ə)l‿əv ˈmʌŋkiz/US/ˌbæɹəl‿əv ˈmʌŋkiz/US/bɛ-/

noun

Someone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.

“He thinks he’s a barrel of monkeys, but he’s not particularly entertaining.”

Similar
hootriot
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Meanings

nounbarrel of monkeys (plural barrels of monkeys)

plural barrels of monkeys

  1. idiomaticinformalSomeone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.

    He thinks he’s a barrel of monkeys, but he’s not particularly entertaining.

    Synonyms: hoot, riot

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSomeone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.

Similar
hootriot

Origin

Possibly influenced by barrel of fun or barrel of laughs.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish naurattaja
  • naurattajasomeone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.
Cite this entry
APA

barrel of monkeys. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20of%20monkeys

MLA

“barrel of monkeys.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20of%20monkeys. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barrel of monkeys,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20of%20monkeys.

Source: barrel of monkeys on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.