Synonyms of goof (around)

goof (around) 1 of 4

verb (1)

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

• play
• fool around
• fiddle (around)
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• monkey (around)
• hang about
• mess around
• fribble
• kick around
• doodle
• trifle
• hang (around or out)
• horse around
• lounge
• clown (around)
• idle
• loaf
• dawdle
• diddle (with)
• loll
• tinker
• dillydally
• dally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set (to)
• settle (down)
• buckle (down)
• knuckle down

goof (off)

2 of 4

verb (2)

as in to kill time

to spend time doing nothing

returned home unannounced and found the au pair goofing off

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kill time
• lazy
• veg out
• kick back
• hack (around)
• lounge
• hang about
• hang (around or out)
• rest
• footle
• bum
• relax
• play
• idle
• chill
• loaf
• kick around
• twiddle one's thumbs
• stroll
• dawdle
• laze
• drone
• poke
• dillydally
• mess
• muck
• fiddle (around)
• estivate
• loll
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• linger
• fool
• dally
• monkey
• trifle
• piddle
• hibernate
• aestivate
• doze
• lag
• loiter
• saunter
• swan
• mosey
• amble
• goldbrick
• tarry
• malinger
• truant
• furlough

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• work
• slave
• labor
• plow
• plug
• sweat
• buckle (down)
• grind
• toil
• hustle
• apply
• plod
• put out
• hump
• peg
• grub
• exert
• travail
• drudge
• moil

goof (up)

3 of 4

verb (3)

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

• fumble
• trip
• stumble
• slip up
• screw up
• drop the ball
• foul up
• lay an egg
• blunder
• mess (up)
• louse up
• err
• mistake
• flub
• nod
• fluff
• misunderstand
• boob
• murder
• botch
• butcher
• misconceive
• bungle
• muff
• misjudge
• mangle
• misdeem
• miscalculate
• misconstrue
• misgauge
• misinterpret
• mishandle
• foozle
• miscount
• miscue
• bobble

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

• fumble
• blow
• bugger (up)
• screw up
• mess (up)
• ruin
• foul up
• murder
• dub
• bollix (up)
• boot
• spoil
• gum (up)
• muck up
• butcher
• destroy
• botch
• boggle
• bungle
• louse up
• muff
• fluff
• mangle
• mar
• damage
• bumble
• flub
• hurt
• foozle
• wreck
• injure
• bobble
• flaw
• blunder
• impair
• harm
• muddle
• blight
• mutilate
• blemish
• vitiate
• piffle
• mismanage
• mishandle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improve
• better
• help
• enhance
• remedy
• reform
• refine
• ameliorate
• rectify
• repair
• patch
• fix
• meliorate
• renovate
• revamp
• doctor
• recondition

goof-off

4 of 4

noun

as in slacker

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slacker
• underachiever
• goldbrick
• lowbrow

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nerd
• geek
• dork
• bookworm
• grind
• weenie
• wonk
• intellectual
• dink
• highbrow
• swot
• genius
• brain
• double-dome