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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chicago’s name gets kicked around a lot by people who are politically invested in its decline. Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2025 As for what’s coming next, the agent said he’s spoken with a number of food brands with character mascots, kicking around ideas with companies like M&Ms and Lucky Charms, to name just a couple. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025 While Goff’s impact on Frontierland is well documented — and Hahn notes, perhaps, an influence from Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town in these images — it’s also believed some of these designs were kicked around as a potential Main Street, U.S.A., concept. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025 Once down there, I was getting stood on, kicked around. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for kick around

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kick around was in 1839

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kick around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20around. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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