goon

1 of 2

noun

1
: a stupid person
2
a
: a man hired to terrorize or eliminate opponents

go on

2 of 2

verb

went on; gone on; going on; goes on

intransitive verb

1
a
: to continue on or as if on a journey
life goes on
went on to greater things
b
: to keep on : continue
went on smoking
c
: proceed
went on to win the election
2
: to take place : happen
what's going on
3
: to talk especially in an effusive manner
the way people go on about their ancestorsHamilton Basso

Examples of goon in a Sentence

Noun He was beat up by a couple of goons. an unfortunate tendency to call those who disagree with him “brainless goons Verb what in the world is going on in there? my, but Aunt Betty does go on about all of her aches and pains
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
There are no goons in SECURITY jackets, no cops, no city officials checking paperwork and conducting risk assessments. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 18 Oct. 2024 The idea that the goon on the sidelines might be the movie’s stealth MVP starts to seem less and less far-fetched. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
So many people experience one mental health crisis, go on medication, and continue to thrive in their personal and professional lives. Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Create a Schedule With Your Teen Many teens have a lot going on and need a little support with time management. Amy Morin, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for goon 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably short for English dialect gooney simpleton

First Known Use

Noun

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of goon was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near goon

Cite this Entry

“Goon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goon. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

goon

1 of 2 noun
1
: a stupid person
2
: a person hired to terrorize or beat up or kill opponents

go on

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to continue on or as if on a journey
life goes on
b
: to keep on : continue
went on talking
2
: to take place : happen
what's going on

More from Merriam-Webster on goon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!