1
: a stupid person
2
a
: a man hired to terrorize or eliminate opponents
went on; gone on; going on; goes on
1
2
: to take place : happen
what's going on
3
: to talk especially in an effusive manner
the way people go on about their ancestors—
Hamilton Basso
Hamilton BassoSynonyms
Noun
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- deadhead
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dip
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- half-wit
- hammerhead
- hardhead
- idiot
- ignoramus
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
Verb
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
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Compared to past conflicts, writing the killers as a nameless, faceless goon squad and then letting those nameless, faceless goons get away with it isn’t very affecting (or effective).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Since the turn of the 21st century, the Eddie winner for theatrical drama has gone on to score the Academy Award for Best Editing 14 of 24 times — but only once in the past four years.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for goon 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Her scenes with Yura Borisov, as an unexpectedly kind Russian goon, give the screwball comedy genuine heart.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Compared to past conflicts, writing the killers as a nameless, faceless goon squad and then letting those nameless, faceless goons get away with it isn’t very affecting (or effective).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
The song went on to make the top five in 2018, and has charted at number 1 every year since.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Since the turn of the 21st century, the Eddie winner for theatrical drama has gone on to score the Academy Award for Best Editing 14 of 24 times — but only once in the past four years.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for goon
Dictionary Entries Near goon
Cite this Entry
“Goon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goon. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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