1
as in considering
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 playing
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 hanging (around or out)
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 wandering
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 abusing
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
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Recent Examples of kicking around
All told, it’s been a pretty spectacular and drama-free rollout for an idea that had been kicking around Hollywood for over 15 years.
—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Husband and wife duo Cristina Marzolf and Matthew Marzolf, both 25, had been kicking around the concept of Press’d Cafe and Lounge, a family-friendly tropical escape that sells smoothies, juices and food for years.
—
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
There are a few great Star Wars arcade games still kicking around, but this one is my personal favorite.
—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Odenkirk and Kolstad have begun kicking around ideas for extending the character into an ongoing franchise.
—
Los Angeles Times,
15 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
Like Prince William and Kate Middleton often do on sportier engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed off their soccer skills, kicking around a ball on Wednesday.
—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Near where Cuin and Thiane were kicking around, Berkeley resident Marcelio Ramos banged his drum in preparation for the first draw.
—
Mathew Miranda
december 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Dec. 2025
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Husband and wife duo Cristina Marzolf and Matthew Marzolf, both 25, had been kicking around the concept of Press’d Cafe and Lounge, a family-friendly tropical escape that sells smoothies, juices and food for years.
—
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
There are a few great Star Wars arcade games still kicking around, but this one is my personal favorite.
—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Odenkirk and Kolstad have begun kicking around ideas for extending the character into an ongoing franchise.
—
Los Angeles Times,
15 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
Like Prince William and Kate Middleton often do on sportier engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed off their soccer skills, kicking around a ball on Wednesday.
—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Near where Cuin and Thiane were kicking around, Berkeley resident Marcelio Ramos banged his drum in preparation for the first draw.
—
Mathew Miranda
december 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking around
Verb
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Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd said Minnesota was considering selecting Duke wing Isaiah Evans with the 28th pick in this week’s NBA Draft, prior to the Wolves sliding back five selections due to the Julius Randle trade.
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That’s key considering the film’s hard-to-classify nature, in which Early, first of all playing a woman, portrays an aspiring food influencer and content creator who is struggling with an eating disorder.
Verb
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Ella Bruccoleri may be playing a Bennet sister on TV, but the actress wasn’t always a fan of Jane Austen.
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According to court documents, Zimmerman was playing golf at the hotel's course throughout the day with friends.
Verb
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Here’s an outdoor lounge chair that naturally supports kicking back with a matching ottoman.
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Instead of kicking back, most workers are delaying their flight from the nest thanks to an affordability crisis pinching the wallets of everyday Americans.
Verb
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After countless date nights spent wandering Costco aisles during executive member hours and dining on food-court pizza and hot dogs, Beth and Alec Harwerth decided there was no better location for their engagement photos.
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In Corfu, days were spent hiking to the island's best beaches, wandering through pastel old-town streets, and stopping for long lunches in mountain villages.
Verb
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America’s youth have been increasingly abusing common over-the-counter medications, according to poison center records.
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Uber’s campaign accused trial attorneys of unethically abusing their clients and attorneys said the company is attempting restructure longstanding civil justice laws to escape accountability for harm caused by its drivers.
Verb
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While no regional power is currently capable of replacing the US as the Gulf’s security guarantor, officials are increasingly contemplating a future in which Washington plays a much smaller role in the regional security architecture, the diplomat said.
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An inflation rate now at its highest level in three years, combined with a high Federal funds rate that's unlikely to change anytime soon, not to mention the possibility of interest rate hikes later this year, has left many savers contemplating their next move.
Verb
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Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.
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The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.
Verb
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President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.
Cite this Entry
“Kicking around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20around. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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