goof off
/ˌɡuːf ˈɒf/
"goof-off" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“goof off” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To dawdle, lollygag; to waste time aimlessly or engage in idle activity or inactivity.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | goof off |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˌɡuːf ˈɒf/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “goof off” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for goof off is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɡuːf ˈɒf/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for goof off, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct English form is goof off, spelled G-O-O-F- -O-F-F.
Definition
- 1To dawdle, lollygag; to waste time aimlessly or engage in idle activity or inactivity.
- 2To make a mistake.
- 3To fall asleep or pass out on drugs.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “goof off”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is G-O-O-F- -O-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌɡuːf ˈɒf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.