1
as in contemplated
to give serious and careful thought to
the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in played
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 hacked (around)
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 roamed
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 abused
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
children who were raised by an alcoholic father who regularly kicked them around
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 kicked around
That bill's kicked around on the House's calendar for a few weeks now.
—
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 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
The bestselling novelist specializes in women who have been kicked around by life.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
One of the ideas that has been kicked around is putting the playoff event in larger cities and more historic venues.
—Bob Buttitta, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
One of the things that have been kicked around is a one-time 5% tax on billionaires.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
As the college football season winds down, Penn State is still operating with an interim head coach after the dismissal of James Franklin, and Roethlisberger kicked around the idea of Tomlin heading to Happy Valley to take over that program.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
The club had kicked around the idea of Suárez and Nola sharing an outing, but it was made official on Monday night after a gut-wrenching Game 2 loss.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Other ideas kicked around over the years have been subsidized housing or even returning it to its history of entertainment, as a high-end theater and performing arts academy.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 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
The bestselling novelist specializes in women who have been kicked around by life.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
One of the ideas that has been kicked around is putting the playoff event in larger cities and more historic venues.
—Bob Buttitta, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
One of the things that have been kicked around is a one-time 5% tax on billionaires.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
As the college football season winds down, Penn State is still operating with an interim head coach after the dismissal of James Franklin, and Roethlisberger kicked around the idea of Tomlin heading to Happy Valley to take over that program.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
The club had kicked around the idea of Suárez and Nola sharing an outing, but it was made official on Monday night after a gut-wrenching Game 2 loss.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Other ideas kicked around over the years have been subsidized housing or even returning it to its history of entertainment, as a high-end theater and performing arts academy.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicked around
Verb
-
Zbur said future expansion would be based on its success in Santa Monica, and that such expansion is already contemplated.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
-
As Jackson County officials contemplated what to call the state-of-the-art twin stadiums due to open in the early 1970s, one obvious name emerged.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Suffice it to say that eventually the tale of childhood catches up with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer), a filmmaker, who attempts to make sense of her past and Jeremy’s fate by undertaking her own investigation, at several decades’ remove.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Neanderthals mostly lived in Europe, while more recent additions to the family, the Denisovans, roamed Asia.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Soon, Norton Tire outfitted most of the 20,000 cars that roamed the young city’s streets by the early 1930s.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The officer interviewed the brother separately, who also said he was not abused.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Most importantly, people who are financially disadvantaged are more in danger of being abused at their jobs.—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sip creative cocktails in an elegant speakeasy at L’Antiquario, considered one of the world’s best bars.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Eating gelatin as a food additive is considered safe, but taking high doses in a supplement may cause side effects, and rare allergic reactions are possible.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Studies have shown how lead particles that fell to the ground were kicked back up into the air again where people could inhale them, along with other contaminants.—
Armin Sorooshian,
The Conversation,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Cher’s adult son Elijah Blue Allman busted into a New Hampshire home over the weekend, and then kicked back on the couch with a cigarette, police said.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As party members slowly trickled into the building Saturday morning, campaign volunteers wandered, handing out bags with posters for Marx or walking in slow arcs with signs for fellow chief executive hopeful Robert Moore.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
-
At Elmhurst, a resident in a Tufts University School of Medicine zip-up wandered out to see what was going on.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their daughter was bullied by fake nude images at school.—
Bethany Bruner,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Family believes others may be involved Relatives say Marcus went to the home simply to visit a friend – and that he had been bullied and threatened in the days leading up to the shooting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicked around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicked%20around. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
