goofball

noun

goof·​ball ˈgüf-ˌbȯl How to pronounce goofball (audio)
1
slang : a barbiturate sleeping pill
2
: a goofy person

Examples of goofball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Then there were the jug-eared goofball characters, which some scholars of the art form call halfwits, while others prefer snerds. — Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 Otherwise, the movie really is all about goofball antics and the plot almost feels secondary. — Parents, 1 July 2026 Can a goofball YouTuber really stretch his influence that far? — Sean Gregory, Time, 6 May 2026 No one would describe him as a carefree goofball, like Stone, or as a down-to-earth Southern charmer, like Wilson. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for goofball

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of goofball was in 1950

Rhymes for goofball

See All Rhymes for goofball

Browse Nearby Words

goof around
goofball
goofer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Goofball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goofball. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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