noun

goof

Goof (noun) means a mistake or blunder. Example: “That was a minor goof — nobody even noticed.”

noun

A mistake or blunder.

"That was a minor goof — nobody even noticed."

A silly or foolish person.

"He's a lovable goof who always makes us laugh."

verb

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

"I goofed and sent the email to the wrong person."

"The kids were just goofing around in the backyard."

How to use goof

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA blunder, a silly person, or the act of messing around or making a mistake.

Common pairings

goof around goof off goof up

Word forms

goofed past tense, goofs plural, goofs singular

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That was a minor _____ — nobody even noticed.

Etymology

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

Synonyms

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blunder mistake slip-up blooper clown goofball

Related words

accident mistake error fault idiot fool clown misunderstanding

Rhymes for goof

oof roof poof hoof woof boof aloof proof spoof sunroof foolproof fireproof

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Frequently asked questions

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.

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accident mistake error fault idiot fool clown misunderstanding