as in to kill time
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 goof-off
Noun
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But use it to identify slackers, not cap the rockstars who didn’t need it anyway.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025 -
Beavis and Butt-Head season 3 The iconic ’90s slackers are back.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over the course of the show’s eight year run, this moment was not always taken as a given; the son, Theo Huxtable, was for years presented as a chronic underachiever, more interested in the typical trappings of teenage boyhood—friends, parties, girls, motorcycles.—
Mychal Denzel Smith,
Time,
22 July 2025
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Especially given the turmoil with the other edge rushers, eyes are focused on seeing if Murphy looks like the same underachiever from the first two years or a blossoming athletic specimen.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Verb
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This is something Kang was championing — badass characters who also veg out on the couch without makeup on.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
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And while humans tend to veg out on the couch, canines typically only watch for short periods.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Verb
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In addition to all the driving thrills, Porsche Ice Experience is also about kicking back, enjoying fine dining, fireside conversations, and a genuine sense of camaraderie among fellow Porsche-loving participants and instructors.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
9 Sep. 2025
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Fernandes Anderson doled out a $13,000 bonus to one of her Council staffers, a relative but not an immediate family member, on the condition that $7,000 be kicked back to her.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Marlowe, lounging behind Frizer, grabbed Frizer’s dagger and struck him in the head; Frizer snatched it back and returned the compliment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Personalized itineraries While some guests are perfectly happy to lounge by the pool or swim in the ocean, others may want to explore.—
Sherrie Nachman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sizes Tablecloths should hang about 8-16 inches on each side for formal dining and about 3-6 inches on each side for casual dining.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 June 2025
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Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Still, Demi Moore never rests on her style laurels.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
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The visible-light photo, taken by one of Maxar Technologies' WorldView Legion satellites orbiting at an altitude of 312 miles (518 kilometers), shows what appears to be a fleet of fighter jets resting on the ramp adjacent to the runway surrounded by brown, arid soil.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Get our daily newsletter Yet Mr Schwarzman avoids footling with life’s foot-soldiers for a reason.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
19 Sep. 2019
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Cite this Entry
“Goof-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof-off. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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