goof-off
3
8.6
- noun
- /ˈɡuːfˌɔf/
- Informal
- 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
19
4.6
A person who avoids work and often does very little
18
7.0
A person who is lazy and does not want to work
8
9.9
A person who is lazy, irresponsible, and does not try to succeed
7
4.6
A person who often puts off work until the last minute
4
7.6
A person who often avoids work and does very little
4
5.8
A person who avoids work and does very little
3
7.2
A person who avoids work and prefers to rest
3
8.9
A person who does not keep a steady job
3
7.1
A person who is lazy and does nothing useful
1
7.0
A person who avoids work and makes little effort
1
7.0
A person who avoids work and does very little
1
8.0
A person who avoids work or responsibility, often by making excuses
1
9.9
A person who avoids work by pretending to be busy
1
9.9
A person who avoids work and does very little
1
9.6
A person who avoids work by pretending to be busy
1
9.7
A person who wastes time on small unimportant tasks instead of doing useful work
1
9.5
A person who wastes time and does not make decisions or take action
1
8.9
A person who wastes time or money on unimportant things
1
7.2
A person who often misses school or work on purpose
1
9.1
A person who avoids work by pretending to be ill
1
9.9
A person who wastes time and does no real work
A person who is often lazy and late finishing tasks
A person who avoids work or duties by making excuses
A person who wastes time by being slow to act or decide
A person who is very lazy and not responsible
A person who does little work and is not useful
Antonyms
How Lazy
Surface Forms
Morphology
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.