as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
we've been goofing around long enough; it's time to get some real work done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to kill time
to spend time doing nothing
returned home unannounced and found the au pair goofing off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we must have goofed up somewhere, because this cake clearly didn't turn out right
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
he goofed up his first sale at the dealership
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goof (around)
Noun
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Creators Michael Jacobs and April Kelly imbued endless love into the life story of Cory Matthews (Ben Savage): a witty neurotic who grew from a slacker sixth grader into a full-on family man across the series seven seasons and 158 episodes on ABC.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025 -
The most compelling evidence to debunk the myth that parents are slackers comes from a work team study.—
Lieke ten Brummelhuis,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Athletic has a story filled with tables of draft picks by schools and conferences. USC immediately stands out as an underachiever.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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Enough results had been collected to ensure the Championship’s perennial underachievers began the day sitting most comfortably but tension was still a travel companion on the 40-mile trip to the East Midlands.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Goof (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28around%29. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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