1
as in resting
to refrain from labor or exertion
I plan to spend the day kicking back and watching television
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hanging (around or out)
to spend time doing nothing
a good resort for people who want to kick back and watch others exercise strenuously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicking back
This has a similar curved design, and the chenille-like fabric lends this a coziness for kicking back and curling up.
—
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The real issue is the compressor cycling off and then kicking back on, which can be abrupt enough to wake you.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead, the board opts for the happy-go-lucky concert attendee kicking back a beer or two as its foil to scary THC use.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s nothing wrong with spending your vacation at the beach, on a shopping spree in Paris or New York, or kicking back at a fishing cabin.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
And while a little luxury is always welcome, at its heart, Belize’s appeal lies in slowing down, kicking back, and enjoying simple pleasures, cocooned in nature.
—Gemma Price, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
The Daily Dividend Earnings season is kicking back into high gear.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
The Book Club films that allowed audiences one last chance to savor this delightful movie star kicking back and letting her charisma carry a picture.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
In addition to all the driving thrills, Porsche Ice Experience is also about kicking back, enjoying fine dining, fireside conversations, and a genuine sense of camaraderie among fellow Porsche-loving participants and instructors.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The real issue is the compressor cycling off and then kicking back on, which can be abrupt enough to wake you.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead, the board opts for the happy-go-lucky concert attendee kicking back a beer or two as its foil to scary THC use.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s nothing wrong with spending your vacation at the beach, on a shopping spree in Paris or New York, or kicking back at a fishing cabin.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
And while a little luxury is always welcome, at its heart, Belize’s appeal lies in slowing down, kicking back, and enjoying simple pleasures, cocooned in nature.
—Gemma Price, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
The Daily Dividend Earnings season is kicking back into high gear.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
The Book Club films that allowed audiences one last chance to savor this delightful movie star kicking back and letting her charisma carry a picture.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
In addition to all the driving thrills, Porsche Ice Experience is also about kicking back, enjoying fine dining, fireside conversations, and a genuine sense of camaraderie among fellow Porsche-loving participants and instructors.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking back
Verb
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Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology confirmed that octopuses are genuinely asleep during this active phase rather than simply resting, and that the state closely resembles REM sleep in vertebrates, including humans, per The Guardian.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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The Okinawa researchers confirmed the animals are genuinely asleep during this phase, not simply resting and that the state closely resembles vertebrate REM sleep, per The Guardian.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gear up for relaxing summer nights with this outdoor patio sofa.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Time to calm down with my favorite relaxing video.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Both thrive in slightly acidic soil, love basking in full sun, and appreciate regular watering.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
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But unlike the easily predictable radiation exposures from flying through the Van Allen Belts or basking in the background flux of galactic cosmic rays, the dose an astronaut gets from solar activity can vary enormously.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.—
Elliott Harrell,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both tracks — which had been kicking around since the Chinese Democracy sessions and were demoed even earlier — were finally released in December 2025 to coincide with GNR’s 2026 tour announcement.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
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Like Prince William and Kate Middleton often do on sportier engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed off their soccer skills, kicking around a ball on Wednesday.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jules seems to be living the high life, lounging in a penthouse in front of an easel as someone’s muse or, perhaps, sugar baby.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
1 Apr. 2026
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Kid Cudi is lounging in a colorful attic much like the one in his childhood home in Cleveland.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thankfully, Janus Films will release Kurosawa’s bone-chilling short at IFC Center in New York City starting this weekend.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Mar. 2026
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At about midday Tuesday, the Puerto Vallarta resident posted an image of a plastic tub with what appeared to be a pinto spiny lobster chilling inside.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Cubs went from playing in 100-plus degree weather for over a week in Arizona to wind chills in the upper 20s on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field in their 6-2 win over the Angels.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicking back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20back. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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