goof off
Avoid doing work
To goof off is to waste time or avoid work, typically by doing something idle or frivolous instead: Stop goofing off and finish your homework.
A goof-off is a person who habitually does this.
The term is casual and mildly disapproving but not harsh—more about laziness than serious misconduct.
Absence of tautness
- loafBaked bread shape
- shirkEvade one's obligations
- dawdleLinger without purpose
- idleWithout activity or purpose
laze · procrastinate · waste time · kill time · goldbricking · malingering · clock-watching · skiving
Avoiding obligatory tasks
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- evadingSkillfully keeping away from
- neglectingFailing to attend to
- duckingBending to avoid impact
sidestepping · escaping · ditching · cutting class · playing hooky · truancy · wagging · absenteeism
Boisterous rough behavior
- clowningPlayful comic behavior
- fooling aroundIdle playful behavior
- messing aroundIdle, aimless activity
- horsing aroundEngaging in boisterous play
joking · pranking · skylarking · antics · tomfoolery · buffoonery · silliness · monkeying around
Period of non-operation
- breakInterrupt continuity
- relaxationState of being unwound
- chillingCausing fear or cold
- unwindingReleasing coiled tension
hanging out · vegging out · lounging · kicking back · bumming around · lazing · free time · recreation
slack
Absence of tautness
idle · laze · procrastinate · waste time · kill time · goldbricking · malingering · clock-watching · skiving · coasting
shirking
Avoiding obligatory tasks
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- evadingSkillfully keeping away from
- neglectingFailing to attend to
ducking · sidestepping · escaping · ditching · cutting class · playing hooky · truancy · wagging · absenteeism · AWOL
horseplay
Boisterous rough behavior
- clowningPlayful comic behavior
- fooling aroundIdle playful behavior
- messing aroundIdle, aimless activity
horsing around · joking · pranking · skylarking · antics · tomfoolery · buffoonery · silliness · monkeying around · cutting up
downtime
Period of non-operation
- breakInterrupt continuity
- relaxationState of being unwound
- chillingCausing fear or cold
unwinding · hanging out · vegging out · lounging · kicking back · bumming around · lazing · free time · recreation · taking it easy
goof offwork hard
Expend serious effort
buckle down · knuckle down · get down to business · apply oneself · toil
off, goof, gaffe, guffaw, goofing, goofs, goofed, goof-off, goofball