goof

14 synonyms for goof, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A mistake or blunder.

Synonyms

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

mistake sin

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

clown jackass goose boob

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

blunder slip-up blooper goofball buffoon fathead cuckoo bozo

A mistake or blunder.

“That was a minor goof — nobody even noticed.”

blunder mistake slip-up blooper clown goofball buffoon fathead cuckoo bozo jackass goose

To make a mistake, or to fool around instead of being serious.

“I goofed and sent the email to the wrong person.”

blunder boob sin

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

goof around goof off goof up

Likely from dialectal English "goff," meaning a foolish clown, itself of uncertain deeper origin.

Full origin of goof →

What does “goof” mean?

The word “goof” means a mistake or blunder. In plain terms, a blunder, a silly person, or the act of messing around or making a mistake.

How do you pronounce “goof”?

“Goof” is pronounced goof (/ɡuːf/ in IPA).

How do you use “goof” in a sentence?

Here is “goof” used in a sentence: “That was a minor goof — nobody even noticed.”

What part of speech is “goof”?

Depending on how it is used, “goof” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “goof” have?

“Goof” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a mistake or blunder.

mistake sin clown goose boob jackass cuckoo bozo blunder goofball fathead buffoon