goof on

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To mildly mock, tease, make fun of; usually implying good-natured fun more than biting sarcasm.

Register: informal

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The students were goofing on the food safety training, pretending to eat off the floor, to shortchange their handwashing, and so on.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “goof on” mean?

To mildly mock, tease, make fun of; usually implying good-natured fun more than biting sarcasm.

Is “goof on” formal or informal?

goof on is generally informal.