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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicking around
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
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking around
Verb
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Even the upside-down notion of Fox News turning into a progressive network or other legacy Murdoch assets being transformed seemed to be scenarios worth contemplating.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
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The film’s title carries particular significance for Yoon, who has been contemplating it for 15 years.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rookie Anthony Belton, playing right tackle for an injured Zach Tom, had a holding penalty that negated a 39-yard touchdown to Jayden Reed.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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But there is something to getting in a room and all playing music together, which is what that record was born from.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The three of them, dressed in flip-flops and T-shirts, were wandering the streets downtown when a woman in a minivan pulled over to offer them a ride.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The strangers spend the day wandering down the movie's eponymous street while a vibrant chemistry blossoms between them.—
Hannah Kerns,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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As part of his plea agreement, Styner admitted to abusing a total of a dozen victims.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Revival Act has left some pondering what the endgame looks like for Zuffa.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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Turns out Stephano was pondering beltmaking too, leading the two to partner on a new business venture creating small-batch leather pieces and metal accessories.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With loneliness on the rise, MindTravel’s roaming piano concerts hope to foster connection, calm, and contemplation.—
Anna Haines,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Notable scavenger hunt locations include visiting the Memorial Union pop-up in Little Madison and finding one of the Milwaukee Brewers mascots roaming throughout the market.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Now, the Heat are considering a reunion with a free agent former big man, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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The city of Fort Worth is considering changing land use rules for a handful of parcels to allow buildings up to 15 stories.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 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 16 Sep. 2025.
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