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goof-off

goof-off

2 8.6
A person who avoids work and wastes time
  • noun
  • /ˈɡuːfˌɔf/
  • Informal
translation icon : holgazán
  • Being a goof-off at work can lead to negative consequences for your career.

Examples

  • Kids will act like kids (duh) and goof off to their detriment.

    Blog text (12)
  • Eric, you're a goof-off.

  • "Well, he's kind of a goof-off.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • For once, the room is full of quiet students who have done their studying; the usual goof-offs are the ones most frantic to have their say in court.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Teachers can monitor who is paying attention, to the point of seeing if a student has exited the program to play a game or goof off.

    Blog text (28)
  • Their kids aren't interested, drag their heels, whine, and goof off.

    Blog text (27)
  • But Google isn't staffed by slackers and goof-offs.

    Blog text (4)
  • The soon-to-be-men in his classroom included most of the football team's front line, three of the school's most feared street fighters, a sampling of guys from tough neighborhoods to the south and east, and an assortment of nerdy goof-offs like me.

    Academic text (2010)
  • He was such a goof-off in school that he rarely completed his assignments.

  • Everyone knows she is a goof-off who spends more time playing games than studying.

Synonyms

slacker
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
33 4.6

A person who avoids work and often does very little

avoids work by wasting time or simply being lazy
good-for-nothing
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
16 7.1

A person who is lazy and does nothing useful

avoids work by laziness yet stresses general worthlessness
slug
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
12 7.0

A person who is lazy and does not want to work

avoids work by wasting time rather than from lack of chance
do-nothing
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
9 7.0

A person who avoids work and makes little effort

avoids work by wasting time instead of trying tasks
procrastinator
vsgoof-off
8 4.6

A person who often puts off work until the last minute

avoids work by delaying tasks rather than aimless time wasting
loafer
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
5 5.8

A person who avoids work and does very little

avoids work by wasting time rather than active evasion
ne'er-do-well
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A person who is lazy, irresponsible, and does not try to succeed

avoids work by laziness but adds failure and irresponsibility connotations
layabout
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
4 7.6

A person who often avoids work and does very little

avoids work by wasting time rather than choosing activity
idler
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
2 7.0

A person who avoids work and does very little

avoids work by wasting time instead of performing tasks
no-account
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
2 8.9

A person who does not keep a steady job

avoids work through idleness while stressing social insignificance
shirker
vsgoof-off
1 8.0

A person who avoids work or responsibility, often by making excuses

avoids work by wasting time rather than directly refusing duties
goldbricker
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who avoids work by pretending to be busy

avoids work by openly wasting time rather than feigning busyness
lazybones
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
1 7.2

A person who avoids work and prefers to rest

avoids work by wasting time rather than occasional lapse
bludger
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who avoids work and does very little

avoids work by wasting time rather than differing only in slang
goldbrick
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
1 9.6

A person who avoids work by pretending to be busy

avoids work by wasting time rather than hiding avoidance subtly
diddler
vsgoof-off
  • Informal
1 9.9

A person who wastes time and does no real work

avoids work by laziness rather than purposeful evasion of tasks
dallier
vsgoof-off
1 9.5

A person who wastes time and does not make decisions or take action

avoids work by delaying rather than by active laziness
slack Alice
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is often lazy and late finishing tasks

avoids work by wasting time rather than merely being careless
todger dodger
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who avoids work or duties by making excuses

avoids work by wasting time rather than through excuse making
skulker
vsgoof-off
9.1

A person who avoids work by pretending to be ill

avoids work by wasting time rather than using false incapacity
ditcher
vsgoof-off
  • Informal
7.2

A person who often misses school or work on purpose

avoids work by wasting time rather than openly skipping obligations
fritterer
vsgoof-off
8.9

A person who wastes time or money on unimportant things

avoids work by wasting time on trivialities rather than duties
piddler
vsgoof-off
  • Informal
9.7

A person who wastes time on small unimportant tasks instead of doing useful work

avoids work by small distractions rather than full inactivity
dillydallier
vsgoof-off
  • Informal
8.6

A person who wastes time by being slow to act or decide

avoids work by wasting time rather than outright refusal to act
no-good slacker
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
8.4

A person who is very lazy and not responsible

avoids work by wasting time but carries strong moral condemnation
good-for-naught
vsgoof-off
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who does little work and is not useful

avoids work by being idle but emphasizes useless character

Antonyms

177 3.0

Trustworthy with money and good at paying debts

33 1.3

A person who puts a lot of effort into their job or tasks

How Lazy

shirker
1 8.0
loafer
  • Offensive
5 5.8
goof-off
  • Informal
2 8.6
dawdler
1 7.1

Surface Forms

goof-off singular
goof-offs plural

Morphology

goof-off = goof + off (semi-transparent) = goof + off

The components are recognizable, but the noun refers to a person who wastes time rather than a literal combination of 'goof' and 'off'.

Etymology

Goof-off comes from the informal word goof ('a silly person' or 'a mistake') plus off ('away'), and is like the word goofy ('silly'). So a goof-off is someone who is 'off' work and spends time acting silly or lazy, which is why it means a person who avoids work.