1
as in mistakes
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
that typo is one of the text's rare goofs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiots
a stupid person
leave it to that goof to forget the bait on a fishing trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of goofs
One hundred fifty five days later, the Guardians have regained pole position in the AL Central, once again the result of a frenetic flash of bunts, chops and goofs that converted a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 advantage.
—
Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goofs
Noun
-
Gulutzan is just hopeful that his team can learn from its mistakes.—
Lia Assimakopoulos,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In environments where young people have few chances to recover from mistakes, those mistakes can be much more damaging, and the temptations can feel more overwhelming.—
Mark Mitchell,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His strict and meticulous methodologies taught some of the smartest people on the planet how to behave like complete idiots, paving the way for a new generation of red-nosed fools to pratfall onto the stage.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Franchises are lost because of proud idiots.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Judges have a duty to ensure that a person’s liberty, due process rights, and privacy are not compromised by administrative or technical errors.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But those errors didn’t stop his performance on Sunday from helping Team USA earn a gold medal in the team figure skating event.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
An Italian Winter Olympics broadcaster who was on the mic for the opening ceremony before the Milan Cortina Games began last week faced immense backlash and a strike call for numerous blunders during the show.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But that’s only because of the multiple strategic blunders from the summer that were Ctrl-Z’d in the swap.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Even then, though, the popular take — the story of the lunatics taking over asylum — didn’t sit right with me.—
Paul Fischer,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Beating these lunatics was incredible, right?—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goofs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofs. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
