goofing (off)

verb

present participle of goof (off)
as in hacking (around)
to spend time doing nothing returned home unannounced and found the au pair goofing off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for goofing (off)
  1. kicking back
  2. hanging about
  3. kicking around
  4. lounging
Verb
  • Maybe that means kicking back by the pool with a refreshing summer drink in hand or treating yourself to a creative spin on a classic hot dog from one of these five Atlanta spots.
    — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 4 July 2026
  • Here’s an outdoor lounge chair that naturally supports kicking back with a matching ottoman.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2026
Definition of kicking back
Verb
  • President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 17 June 2026
  • In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.
    — Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
Definition of hanging about
Verb
  • Some of the finer moments for Nemes in the studio were during rehearsals, when the band was just kicking around ideas and jamming.
    — Tina Eves, SPIN, 1 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of kicking around
Verb
  • Unlike during recovery months when high-intensity skiing and snowboarding take precedence, the remainder of the year is much more focused on lounging, pampering and connecting with other guests.
    — Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • An old recording studio, still adorned with a grand piano, now exists more as a lounging space.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of lounging
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.

Browse Nearby Words

goofing (around)
goofing (off)
goofing on
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Cite this Entry

“Goofing (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofing%20%28off%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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