kick around

verb

kicked around; kicking around; kicks around

intransitive verb

1

: to wander or pass time aimlessly

2

a

: to lie about mostly unnoticed or forgotten

b

: to undergo consideration usually intermittently over a period of time

ideas that have been kicking around for years

transitive verb

1

: to treat in an inconsiderate or high-handed fashion

2

: to consider, examine, or discuss from various angles

Synonyms of kick around

• debate
• entertain
• contemplate
• consider
• ponder
• study
• question
• eye
• chew on
• think (about or over)
• explore
• look at
• weigh
• wrestle (with)
• mull (over)

Examples of kick around in a Sentence

the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office

I really can't do much but kick around at work until I get the rest of the submissions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Like Prince William and Kate Middleton often do on sportier engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed off their soccer skills, kicking around a ball on Wednesday. —Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026

One of the ideas that has been kicked around is putting the playoff event in larger cities and more historic venues. —Bob Buttitta, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026

The 49ers pick 27th in the first round, and packaging that pick with a second-rounder and a rotational player might be something Lynch and Shanahan would kick around. —Vic Tafur, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026

Bobby and Mickey were kicking around this idea of taking Grateful Dead music and modernizing it, technologically. —Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for kick around

• aboveground
• battleground
• belowground
• paperbound
• turnaround
• ultrasound
• underground
• wraparound
• abound
• aground
• astound
• background