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)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Earlier this week, Sterling joined her mom at a KC Current practice, where Brittany brought her daughter onto the field to kick around a soccer ball. 
Georgia Slater, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2022 For the latter occasion, Kate wore a flowy midi dress from L.K. Bennett with a pair of lace-up espadrille wedges to kick around a soccer ball. Alex Warner, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2022 Watch these adorable little goats bounce and kick around! Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 17 May 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Her impact stretches from Canada to Portland to all corners of the globe where young girls kick around a soccer ball. oregonlive, 8 Apr. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 See More
Georgia Slater, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2022 For the latter occasion, Kate wore a flowy midi dress from L.K. Bennett with a pair of lace-up espadrille wedges to kick around a soccer ball. Alex Warner, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2022 Watch these adorable little goats bounce and kick around! Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 17 May 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 Her impact stretches from Canada to Portland to all corners of the globe where young girls kick around a soccer ball. oregonlive, 8 Apr. 2022 Notice how all of the elements now appear to float in 3D space, particularly that basketball (which players can kick around). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1839, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
kick around
verb
1
as in to debate
to give serious and careful thought to the board spent the afternoon kicking around the feasibility of opening an overseas office Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- debate
- entertain
- contemplate
- study
- ponder
- consider
- chew over
- chew on
- question
- eye
- look at
- explore
- weigh
- review
- perpend
- deliberate
- analyze
- wrestle (with)
- mull (over)
- meditate
- ruminate
- cogitate
- pore (over)
- revolve
- think (about or over)
- beat one's brains out (about)
- turn
- cudgel one's brains (about)
- digest
- muse (upon)
- reason
- reminisce
- believe
- obsess (about or over)
- fixate (on or upon)
- reflect (on or upon)
- conclude
- dwell (on or upon)
- brood (about or over)
- speculate (about)
- fret (about or over)
- drink (in)
- conceive
- absorb
- opine
- assimilate
- second-guess
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignore
- disregard
- overlook
- slight
- reject
- dismiss
- pooh
- pooh-pooh
2
as in to fool around
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- fool around
- play
- fribble
- mess around
- hang about
- goof (around)
- fiddle (around)
- doodle
- putter (around)
- potter (around)
- horse around
- trifle
- monkey (around)
- lounge
- idle
- hang (around or out)
- loaf
- dawdle
- dillydally
- clown (around)
- tinker
- loll
- dally
- diddle (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- settle (down)
- set (to)
- buckle (down)
- knuckle down
3
as in to kill time
to spend time doing nothing spent the afternoon kicking around, while his wife bought out the mall Synonyms & Similar Words
- kill time
- kick back
- hang about
- lazy
- rest
- lounge
- veg out
- bum
- play
- chill
- idle
- hang (around or out)
- relax
- hack (around)
- goof (off)
- loaf
- footle
- stroll
- twiddle one's thumbs
- drone
- poke
- muck
- mess
- laze
- dawdle
- dillydally
- estivate
- loll
- monkey
- dally
- fool
- fiddle (around)
- linger
- putter (around)
- potter (around)
- trifle
- piddle
- hibernate
- swan
- lag
- saunter
- doze
- loiter
- amble
- mosey
- aestivate
- goldbrick
- truant
- furlough
- tarry
- malinger
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- work
- slave
- labor
- plow
- buckle (down)
- plug
- grind
- hustle
- toil
- sweat
- hump
- peg
- grub
- apply
- plod
- put out
- travail
- exert
- drudge
- moil
4
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly after spending a year in Europe kicking around, the backpacker was ready to return home Synonyms & Similar Words
- roam
- wander
- drift
- stroll
- cruise
- float
- knock (about)
- range
- traipse
- meander
- rove
- bat
- galavant
- gad (about)
- mooch
- ramble
- saunter
- maunder
- gallivant
- mill (about or around)
- amble
- gypsy
- vagabond
- hobo
- dawdle
- tramp
- mope
- straggle
- stray
5
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon children who were raised by an alcoholic father who regularly kicked them around Synonyms & Similar Words
- abuse
- bully
- mess over
- take apart
- torture
- violate
- misuse
- hurt
- injure
- oppress
- mistreat
- manhandle
- brutalize
- persecute
- maltreat
- mishandle
- outrage
- ill-use
- harm
- torment
- ill-treat
- harass
- wrong
- molest
- victimize
- work (over)
- sandbag
- beat (up)
- burn
- rough (up)
- mess (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- care (for)
- foster
- cherish
- nurture
- cater (to)
- baby
- favor
- indulge
- gratify
- spoil
- humor
- pamper
- coddle
- mollycoddle