Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for goofy. Search instead for Goofiest.
Synonyms

goofy

American  
[goo-fee] / ˈgu fi /

adjective

Slang.
goofier, goofiest
  1. ridiculous; silly; wacky; nutty.

    a goofy little hat.


goofy British  
/ ˈɡuːfɪ /

adjective

  1. foolish; silly; stupid

  2. (of teeth) sticking out; protruding

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of goofy

First recorded in 1915–20; goof + -y 1


Explanation

Anything goofy is ridiculous and cute, like a squirrel on a skateboard or a big football player snuggling a teddy bear after every touch down. Goofy things are often well-intentioned but weird. Being awkward, telling dumb jokes and stories, or wearing crazy clothes are all great ways to be goofy. A goofy smile is sweet, unless you’re in England where it means you have big crooked teeth. Goofy, the dopey Disney dog who is all of these things, was created in 1929 when the word was brand new. It comes from a variation on the English dialect goff, "foolish clown."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing goofy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The scene is goofy, weirdly enchanting and doesn’t entirely make sense, yet it’s a fun hang.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Variety magazine was also impressed by his stage presence, external, writing: "Styles is a one-in-millions performer, with a hurricane-force charm that's dashing and sexy and goofy at the same time."

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The goofy, R-rated “Starship Troopers” famously tanked domestically among adults, but was a notable hit among teen boys, who sneaked into the flick in droves.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

Chud’s goofy name didn’t register with the man until I explained exactly who Eatherly was.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

Petey came at him fists balled and face lit with a goofy smile.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Pacific Opera Project, L.A.’s goofiest opera company, has never been goofier nor made goofiness so radiant as in its revival of a super-obscure 19th-century satire, Antonio Cagnoni’s “Don Bucefalo.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024

But as the Monsterverse has gone on, the material has gotten goofier, landing us where we are with “Godzilla x Kong.”

From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2024

The goofier “Shazam!,” which cost closer to $100 million to make, opened with $53.5 million in ticket sales and wound up an over-achieving success with $366 million worldwide.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 23, 2022

But where Stewart’s comedy on the series tended to be political, Zelensky’s sometimes veered into much goofier territory — more like Jimmy Fallon.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 28, 2022

Everything about the show is more confident – the physical comedy is goofier, Devi's dingbat logic is more outlandish, and McEnroe's narration easily flows with the action.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2021

The French have given us Delacroix, Debussy, Claire Denis and Simone de Beauvoir, along with some of the goofiest of goofball comedies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

Pacific Opera Project, L.A.’s goofiest opera company, has never been goofier nor made goofiness so radiant as in its revival of a super-obscure 19th-century satire, Antonio Cagnoni’s “Don Bucefalo.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024

He apologised for a follow-up track he released promising to "humble" Kendrick, saying it was the "lamest, goofiest" thing he'd recorded and was a "mis-step".

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2024

“It was probably well-intended, but this whole thing is just the goofiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Kirk said of Nebraska’s split system.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 9, 2024

Rishi had drawn a hoard of about seven zombies, all nuanced and gross in the goofiest way.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com