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Definition of goofball

goofball

/ˈɡuːf.bɔːl/
goof · ball
Plural:goofballs
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goofball Lexical Profile

goofball Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A silly, playful, or endearingly foolish person.

Example

"My brother is a total goofball who loves making funny faces during family photos."

2

North American A pill containing a barbiturate, tranquilizer, or mixture of illicit drugs (dated slang).

Example

"In mid-century detective novels, characters were occasionally described as taking goofballs to sleep."

Synonyms
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• adjective

1

North American Silly, zany, or delightfully absurd in character or style.

Example

"The actor is best known for his goofball comedies from the 1990s."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

gooey
gooeyness
goof
goofball
goofily
goofiness
goofus

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in mid-20th-century American slang by combining "goof" (a silly person) with "-ball," following the pattern of earlier slang compounds like "screwball" and "oddball."

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Goofball. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/goofball
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