Synonyms of go on

go on 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to happen

to take place

what in the world is going on in there?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• happen
• come down
• come to pass
• be
• come about
• go down
• occur
• come
• do
• come off
• cook
• spring (up)
• befall
• pass
• hap
• crop (up)
• betide
• shape (up)
• chance
• transpire
• turn out
• rise
• come up
• go off
• fall out
• develop
• arise
• proceed
• materialize
• result
• intervene
• follow
• break

2

as in to ramble

to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point

my, but Aunt Betty does go on about all of her aches and pains

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ramble
• run on
• rattle
• blather (on)
• run one's mouth
• wander
• deviate
• maunder
• stray
• chat
• digress
• sidetrack
• prate
• chatter
• patter
• gab
• waffle
• gibber
• blabber
• burble
• blither
• jabber
• gabble
• prattle
• blab
• drool
• drivel
• bumble

goon

2 of 2

noun

ˈgün 

1

as in idiot

a stupid person

an unfortunate tendency to call those who disagree with him "brainless goons"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idiot
• moron
• stupid
• fool
• dummy
• imbecile
• loser
• prat
• know-nothing
• mutt
• dolt
• dimwit
• knucklehead
• loon
• ignoramus
• jackass
• dullard
• chucklehead
• ninny
• oaf
• donkey
• dunce
• cretin
• pinhead
• blockhead
• dunderhead
• simpleton
• dope
• golem
• lunkhead
• stupe
• bonehead
• meathead
• goof
• doofus
• numskull
• jerk
• ratbag
• hardhead
• half-wit
• dumbhead
• schnook
• clown
• nitwit
• noddy
• airhead
• clunk
• hammerhead
• bubblehead
• dum-dum
• schlub
• fathead
• gander
• dork
• dumb cluck
• dummkopf
• nimrod
• yahoo
• nincompoop
• dip
• noodle
• dumbbell
• dodo
• villain
• goose
• cluck
• nit
• deadhead
• buffoon
• turkey
• lamebrain
• saphead
• ninnyhammer
• chowderhead
• cuddy
• loggerhead
• mome
• birdbrain
• lump
• thickhead
• madman
• clodpoll
• stock
• dim bulb
• clot
• loony
• woodenhead
• booby
• skunk
• yo-yo
• nut
• mug
• zany
• creep
• snake
• boor
• beast
• stinker
• gawk
• cur
• cad
• heel
• scatterbrain
• churl
• featherbrain

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brain
• genius
• intellect
• sage
• intellectual
• wizard
• thinker
• whiz
• Renaissance man
• polymath
• sharpie

2

as in thug

a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang

the crime boss threatened to send the goons after him if he squealed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thug
• villain
• gangster
• criminal
• assassin
• bandit
• pirate
• thief
• hoodlum
• ruffian
• bully
• offender
• gorilla
• tough
• hooligan
• hood
• mobster
• gangsta
• rowdy
• punk
• roughneck
• gangbanger
• yob
• yobbo
• plug-ugly
• toughie
• scoundrel
• perpetrator
• robber
• mug
• outlaw
• crook
• felon
• brigand
• perp
• mafioso
• cutthroat
• desperado
• highwayman
• racketeer
• vandal
• gunman
• pickpocket
• lawbreaker
• malefactor
• swindler
• bravo
• juvenile delinquent
• tearaway

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of go on

Verb

These same people will, however, blow hours on their dog, or cat, or lawn, or watching their city’s football team, or go on weekly nature hikes, et cetera. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026

The next year, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Tony Parker, an INSEP alum from Normandy who would go on to win four championships over the course of his hall-of-fame career with the San Antonio Spurs. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026

Noun

But Mark, in Ronson’s telling, quickly grows antagonistic, abruptly asking Ronson to sign an NDA, then later barraging him with suspicious texts and threatening him with a pair of goons. — Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

His goons start the job, but Sang-il sends in one of his best men, Jang Tae-ha, to finish the job. — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026