1
as in contemplating
to give serious and careful thought to
the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playing
to spend time in aimless activity
I really can't do much but kick around at work until I get the rest of the submissions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hanging (around or out)
to spend time doing nothing
spent the afternoon kicking around, while his wife bought out the mall
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in wandering
to move about from place to place aimlessly
after spending a year in Europe kicking around, the backpacker was ready to return home
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5
as in abusing
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
children who were raised by an alcoholic father who regularly kicked them around
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking around
Verb
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Meanwhile, 61% of medical students are contemplating careers outside clinical practice, viewing medical school as a stepping stone to other fields in healthcare.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes,
22 Dec. 2024 -
Hours after the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized Damascus and sent Bashar al-Assad packing to Russia, Western politicians and pundits began contemplating the possibility of a free, moderate, inclusive, and (perhaps even) democratic Syria.—
Nick Danby,
National Review,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This team is still playing hard, evidenced by four wins in their past five games.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
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When Sanders was playing, all the attention was on his flash — his spectacular flash.—
Dan Pompei,
The Athletic,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Spend your days absorbing its wartime history, wandering the outdoor markets, dining on seafood, rejuvenating at a spa, or hiking secluded coastal trails before lolling on the white-sand beaches.—
Peggy Orenstein,
AFAR Media,
6 Jan. 2025
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Cohen and colleagues have published several studies showing an increase in the polar vortex stretching or wandering.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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School Board members are now pondering the idea of asking voters for another bond in the future.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Dec. 2024
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There may be some benefit from these policies, but business leaders pondering their 2025 plans will want to focus on their own labor needs.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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According to Smithsonian, the institute’s idyllic backdrop, with open fields where patients could imagine animals roaming free, helped convince the doctor's dozens of patients that her practices were legit.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
5 Jan. 2025
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Between 2001 and 2004, there were so many shootings in Vancouver-area clubs that gang police started roaming through bars, throwing out anyone who looked like a drug dealer.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The rule could have prevented the government from considering important health research in setting pollution limits.—
Eric Nost,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2025
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Robert Saleh, former New York Jets head coach This might be the most popular hire among fans, considering that Saleh ran the 49ers’ 2019 defense, the unit the team has aspired to match ever since.—
Matt Barrows,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Instead, there was a fast, tough, physical team flying around and making big-time plays, bullying the big-boy Tar Heels.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
30 Dec. 2024
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LeBron James scored 32 points one game after setting the NBA’s all-time minutes record for regular-season games, bullying the Kings on the offensive end while grabbing four steals on the defensive end.—
Dan Woike,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Kendra suggests her Chocolate Mouse for a Party recipe that is primed for entertaining a large crowd and guarantees everyone will get a scoop.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appétit,
11 Dec. 2024
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By the mid-1990s, public health leaders were entertaining the possibility that the STI could be eliminated.—
Benjamin Ryan,
NBC News,
12 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Kicking around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20around. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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