1
as in contemplating
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 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
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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
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5
as in abusing
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 kicking around
There are a number of great kitchenware deals kicking around, including markdowns on nonstick and stainless steel cookware, air fryers, Keurigs, and immersion blenders.
—
Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025
None is more important than what’s been kicking around for at least six decades, a project to bolster California’s north-to-south shipments of water by bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025
None is more important than what’s been kicking around for at least six decades, a project to bolster California’s north-to-south shipments of water by bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking around
Verb
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Now, Brown is losing followers, other creators are weighing in, and another Hannah Brown is contemplating ways to distance herself from the whole thing.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
27 Sep. 2025
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In a Fox Business interview, Carr mentioned that the FTC is contemplating broadening its click-to-cancel rulemaking, asserting his disagreement with the previous administration’s approach to establishing the rule.—
Jordan Green,
Nashville Tennessean,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Levi stars in the movie as his real-life father's son while Kay is playing the mother of Matthew's character.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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The actors, playing for Planned Parenthood and Philadelphia food bank Philabundance, won the coveted $1 million prize.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The cubs had been found wandering without their mother near Poway in late March.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Sep. 2025
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Bertis Sutton, Ruth’s son, told Global News in June that his mother has early stage Alzheimer’s but had not shown signs of being disoriented or wandering away.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Miller was accused of abusing three infants in her care at The Lawrence School in 2021 and 2022.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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The Department of Labor is also opening investigations into companies the agency says are abusing the system.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Leonardo DiCaprio has longtime fans pondering if a former teen heartthrob by any other name is still just as famous.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Sep. 2025
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Figuring out how to manage and reduce stress is always a question worth pondering.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ron Perez, president and CEO of CGHS, told Newsweek that someone found Petal in an alleyway, roaming the streets of Hudson.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Homeowners in Godley's Star Ranch subdivision told NBC DFW that the animals, often seen roaming near new housing developments, appear malnourished and at risk of disease.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Euro zone inflation picks up pace European investors are considering various data releases on Wednesday.—
Tasmin Lockwood,Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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But doing just that could prove difficult, considering the litany of injuries the team is dealing with on the offensive side of the ball.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kicking around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20around. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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