goofing (off)

verb

present participle of goof (off)
as in hacking (around)
to spend time doing nothing returned home unannounced and found the au pair goofing off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for goofing (off)
  1. kicking back
  2. hanging about
  3. kicking around
  4. lounging
Verb
  • Before the fire, patrons were kicking back cold ones about a block from Down the Hatch.
    — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But instead of kicking back, Nadal’s been busy building a hotel empire.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Definition of kicking back
Verb
  • President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 17 June 2026
  • In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.
    — Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
Definition of hanging about
Verb
  • The fantasy of a cultural architecture that’s as flexible as culture itself has been kicking around for more than 100 years, and there’s something obscurely disappointing about seeing a technocratic version get put into practice.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
  • Within the venue gates but outside the stands, groups of friends were playing cornhole and having picnic dinners from food trucks parked onsite; older attendees were chatting and kids were kicking around mini soccer balls.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Definition of kicking around
Verb
  • This two-piece set was particularly designed for lounging and getting things done alike.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Guests can spot her prints while lounging outside, sip cocktails created for the occasion, and shop for clothes that suit their trip.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lounging
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

goofing (around)
goofing (off)
goofing on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Goofing (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofing%20%28off%29. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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