as in puerility
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Recent Examples of goofiness
Johnson delights in playing the role of lovable buffoon in the locker room, but his goofiness has purpose.
—
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And follow his skiing adventrues and hilarious goofiness on Instagram at Nick Goepper.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
Yet the boyish enthusiasm and goofiness that chess fans had come to know from his commentary and YouTube videos was no longer evident.
—Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
There’s also a wee bit of goofiness.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Underpinning all his goofiness was an utterly sincere and infectious confidence and belief in A Complete Unknown, and a genuine desire to share it with as many people as possible.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
There was always an odd, lanky goofiness to DiCaprio’s physical presence even at the start of his career, but it was overwhelmed by his rapid rise to heartthrob status in films like Romeo + Juliet and Titanic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The American Kennel Club (AKC) highlights their muscular physique and their confidence among the canine world, but that’s not without a certain level of silliness and goofiness too.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And follow his skiing adventrues and hilarious goofiness on Instagram at Nick Goepper.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
Yet the boyish enthusiasm and goofiness that chess fans had come to know from his commentary and YouTube videos was no longer evident.
—Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
There’s also a wee bit of goofiness.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Underpinning all his goofiness was an utterly sincere and infectious confidence and belief in A Complete Unknown, and a genuine desire to share it with as many people as possible.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
There was always an odd, lanky goofiness to DiCaprio’s physical presence even at the start of his career, but it was overwhelmed by his rapid rise to heartthrob status in films like Romeo + Juliet and Titanic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The American Kennel Club (AKC) highlights their muscular physique and their confidence among the canine world, but that’s not without a certain level of silliness and goofiness too.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goofiness
Noun
-
Cove, on West Houston Street, does not mark an especially obvious step into maturity or anything narratively pat like that, because McGarry’s cooking and his businesses have never really had so much as a hint of childishness to begin with.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The gesture’s lack of dignity, its childishness, its pettiness, are completely in character.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
At the film’s center are the lovably gruff duo Flic and Minna, played with precision and stiff-upper-lipped hilarity by newcomers Marni Duggan and Galaxie Clear respectively.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
-
This is the case with Saturday Night Live, a show that has reached the highest highs and lowest lows of hilarity for half a century.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Wang specializes in balancing tragedy with mirth (see her award-winning film The Farewell), though Expats plunges deeper into grief and darkness.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Ray, by contrast, is a figure of intermittent but undeniable mirth—a citadel of physical perfection whose sublimity occasionally touches the ridiculous.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His cheerfulness and laughter often brought strength and refreshment to me in difficult times.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Raines replied, her usual cheerfulness stepping up a notch.—
Rebecca Boone,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Hundreds of fans commented on social media, either expressing concern or responding with lightheartedness.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
-
On the plus side, the young acting talent and a welcome lightheartedness will keep the eye-rolling to a minimum.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When Huskies head coach Dan Hurley called a timeout, a sellout crowd of 19,812 erupted with deafening glee.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
In so doing, Censori and Ye ruined it—to her glee.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There was never any danger of an exit as Alcaraz showed a focus that rose above any joviality about a second-hand haircut.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Slope regulars know that après-ski is a time for food, drink, and merriment after a day out in the cold.—
Maddie Topliff,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Jan. 2026
-
But the day after the freezing celebration parade in Chicago, the space shuttle Challenger exploded after takeoff in Florida, putting an abrupt end to national merriment.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goofiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofiness. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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