1
as in to debate
to give serious and careful thought to
the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
I really can't do much but kick around at work until I get the rest of the submissions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill time
to spend time doing nothing
spent the afternoon kicking around, while his wife bought out the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
after spending a year in Europe kicking around, the backpacker was ready to return home
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
children who were raised by an alcoholic father who regularly kicked them around
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kick around
That bill's kicked around on the House's calendar for a few weeks now.
—
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Although the likes of the Go Go’s and the Cars are present at times, the soundtrack as a whole seems too staid to provide a backdrop for ’80s kids kicking around in the heyday of punk.
—Gina Friedlande, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Both tracks — which had been kicking around since the Chinese Democracy sessions and were demoed even earlier — were finally released in December 2025 to coincide with GNR’s 2026 tour announcement.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
People were kicked around in the pit, pancaked at the front of the stage, and the crowd surfing had a 90% fail rate.
—Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick around
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Although the likes of the Go Go’s and the Cars are present at times, the soundtrack as a whole seems too staid to provide a backdrop for ’80s kids kicking around in the heyday of punk.
—Gina Friedlande, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Both tracks — which had been kicking around since the Chinese Democracy sessions and were demoed even earlier — were finally released in December 2025 to coincide with GNR’s 2026 tour announcement.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
People were kicked around in the pit, pancaked at the front of the stage, and the crowd surfing had a 90% fail rate.
—Deborah Sengupta Stith, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick around
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick around
Verb
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The zoo’s petition cites several objections to data centers that have been hotly debated nationwide, including their impact on electricity and water resources.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
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The world is still debating whether this is a short-term disruption while farmers are already being forced to make decisions today that will have consequences next year.—
John W.H. Denton AO,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Contrary to some online sentiment, Martinez still fervently believes Portugal are closer to starting a goal up than a man down when playing Ronaldo.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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Hasley hailed from Pittsburgh and played university football before venturing to Hollywood to pursue his dreams as a writer.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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But between games, where does New York’s star point guard kick back and recharge his batteries?—
India Roby,
Architectural Digest,
9 June 2026
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Madix also loves kicking back at the day clubs, with her top picks encompassing a range of experiences.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Their multispecies map is a…blueprint that enshrines the right to roam for the entire animal kingdom.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Tourists in national team shirts and officials and media members with credential lanyards around their necks are roaming around Bayside Marketplace.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Moreover, the states often abused their authority, both over their own citizens and with regard to each other.—
Jordan Cash,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
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And did the court abuse its discretion by imposing the 60-year minimum?—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
8 June 2026
Verb
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The Mexican national team will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer fans around the globe.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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To start things off, let’s entertain a thought experiment.—
Stefan Szymanski,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Another horny couple on vacation couldn’t wait until their flight landed to fool around and insisted on doing so in the plane's cabin.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just take care of your[self], and veg out.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Jan. 2026
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This set is damn near professional-wear, with a blazer-style top and contrast piping for those who like to veg out with dignity.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kick around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20around. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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