as in fiddled (around)
to spend time in aimless activity
we've been goofing around long enough; it's time to get some real work done
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goofed (around)
Verb
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Not too long ago, artificial intelligence was more or less a science project in which data scientists and developers fooled around with one-off small or test projects.—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Following in the footsteps of social-media-savvy churches such as Hillsong, in Los Angeles, Mercy Culture had a worship band that played earnest, anthemic rock, and its pastors wore skinny jeans.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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The Wild played a second consecutive game without forward Bobby Brink, who was injured and scored a goal in his home debut with the Wild last Tuesday versus Utah.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the email, Dixon suggested that the fire department employee may have messed around with the department's equipment.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Goofed (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofed%20%28around%29. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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