goof

American  

[goof] / guf /

verb (used without object)

1. to blunder; make an error, misjudgment, etc.

2. to waste or kill time; evade work or responsibility (often followed by off oraround ).

   Exam week is not a time to goof off. We goofed around till train time.

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verb (used with object)

1. to spoil or make a mess of (something); botch; bungle (often followed byup ).

   You really goofed up the job.

noun

1. a foolish or stupid person.

2. a mistake or blunder, especially one due to carelessness.

3. a source of fun or cause for amusement.

   We short-sheeted his bunk just for a goof.

verb phrase

1. goof on to tease, ridicule, or mock; make fun of.

goof British  

/ ɡuːf /

noun

1. a foolish error or mistake

2. a stupid person

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verb

1. to bungle (something); botch

2. (intr; often foll by about or around) to fool (around); mess (about)

3. (tr) to dope with drugs

4. to waste time; idle

Etymology

Origin of goof

1915–20; apparently variant of obsolete goff dolt < Middle French goffe awkward, stupid

Explanation

A goof is a silly fool. If you can't stop telling jokes, even after your math class has started, your teacher will think you're a goof. There are many alternate words for goof, including dimwit, dummy, and nitwit. In other words, you should only call someone a goof if you mean to insult their intelligence. The mistakes a goof — or anyone — makes can also be called goofs: "I made such a goof when I was mixing this cake batter." Goof is a 1916 American invention, probably influenced by the English dialect goff, "foolish clown."

Example Sentences

The important question for people who want the truth is what any particular goof says about the underlying ballots, and whether it involves enough votes to be decisive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

"This is reputation management of the highest order," he wrote, criticising the "softest editing" which painted Sir Jacob wrongly as a "harmless gosh-and-golly goof".

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2024

Which is how something like “Hit Man,” which seems at first glance like a goof, also can consider some of the deepest mysteries of the human condition.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Out of uniform, he is a normie, a goof and kind of endearing.

From New York Times • Jun. 14, 2023

He’s an obnoxious, two-faced, lying, sniveling little goof who has an awfully high opinion of himself.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

• err
• flub
• screw up