kick around

verb

kicked around; kicking around; kicks around

intransitive verb

1

: to wander or pass time aimlessly

2

a

: to lie about mostly unnoticed or forgotten

b

: to undergo consideration usually intermittently over a period of time

ideas that have been kicking around for years

transitive verb

1

: to treat in an inconsiderate or high-handed fashion

2

: to consider, examine, or discuss from various angles

Synonyms

• chew over
• cogitate
• consider
• contemplate
• debate
• deliberate
• entertain
• eye
• meditate
• mull (over)
• perpend
• ponder
• pore (over)
• question
• revolve
• ruminate
• study
• think (about or over)
• turn
• weigh
• wrestle (with)

Examples of kick around in a Sentence

the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office

I really can't do much but kick around at work until I get the rest of the submissions.

Recent Examples on the Web

This was a time for music, kicking around the soccer ball, catching up with neighbors and enjoying the sunset in this quintessential SoCal suburb. —Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024

These super comfortable ripstop pants, however, are great for hiking and kicking around in. —Jean Chen Smith, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2024

Our hero is almost always an outsider — someone who is knocked off a pedestal, beaten down, and kicked around, all the way to the bottom of the second act, before rising in triumph (e.g., Rocky) or existential martyrdom (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) to win our hearts and minds forever. —Michael Cieply, Deadline, 16 June 2024

The shoe’s clean silhouette is timeless—it’s been kicking around since 1971—and was built for long days of movement, with extra foam padding that protects the back heel and cushioned soles to prevent blisters. —Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1