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
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
Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Forsberg has been kicking around Pittsburgh for a hair more than a decade now.
—
Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025
Of course, that’s not the only hack kicking around this week.
—PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2025
Outdoor fitness Fun activities like shooting hoops, playing pickleball or kicking around a soccer ball are fantastic ways to build fitness and boost your health.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
There are a number of great kitchenware deals kicking around, including markdowns on nonstick and stainless steel cookware, air fryers, Keurigs, and immersion blenders.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 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
Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025
Of course, that’s not the only hack kicking around this week.
—PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2025
Outdoor fitness Fun activities like shooting hoops, playing pickleball or kicking around a soccer ball are fantastic ways to build fitness and boost your health.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
There are a number of great kitchenware deals kicking around, including markdowns on nonstick and stainless steel cookware, air fryers, Keurigs, and immersion blenders.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 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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Before Microsoft changed its plans, Martin was contemplating a motion to delay the Village Board rezoning vote at least six months so village officials could gather more information.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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Graziadei, 46, is known for playing Daniel Romalotti in The Young and the Restless.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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As knowledgeable as Towns is about the infrastructure of the apparel industry, his priority is playing for and training with the New York Knicks.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mid-October will see the wandering body pass close to the star Alkaphrah, or Chi Ursae Majoris in the constellation Ursa Major, just below the 'dipper' portion of the Big Dipper asterism, before beating a path through the night sky towards the star Cor Caroli in the constellation Canes Venatici.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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On his first night alone in the city, Alex is wandering around the Village and tries to get a drink at the Olive Tree Café, the fabled spot on MacDougal Street that’s attached to the Comedy Cellar (which is the floor below).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was hit with a massive $50,000 fine for verbally abusing officials back in 2023, and he was slapped with a $14,000 fine for a violent gesture during a game against the Buffalo Bills last season.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Trump was accused in that trial of abusing power by withholding aid to Ukraine to pressure its government to investigate then-former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Forest owner has been pondering his options That is not unusual — the Greek shipping magnate always likes to have a plan B in place.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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That’s 16 days of public silence and private plotting — 16 days of preparing for a case management conference and pondering motions and strategizing for the discovery process and delving into every facet of this year-long case that has no end in sight.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Local residents and longtime business owners alike have been traumatized by immigration agents roaming around the neighborhood, Moreno said, arresting both unauthorized immigrants and US citizens.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper's days of roaming the outfield grass are over, and the former is headed to free agency anyway.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Martino also reported that the Yankees are considering changes at other spots, aiming to shake up the team's brain trust to deliver better baseball on the field.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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Others who don’t agree may feel discouraged in the workplace over the messaging, especially considering they are not currently being paid.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.
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