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
Sydni Ellis, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Sofia has taken Francis, and Sal Maroni is right on her heels with a bunch of his goons to give Oz a few whacks with one of his own stupid golf clubs, then down to the trolley station to take over the Bliss operation.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
After rising to fame as a teenager in Take That, one of the most successful British boy bands of the ‘90s, Williams—widely considered to be the bad boy of the group—went on to forge a solo career that reached stratospheric heights.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, TIME, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for goon 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
This 1961 tale is about Mary Contrary (Annette Funicello), who plans on marrying Tom (Tommy Sands) until the evil Barnaby (Ray Bolger) and his goons kidnap Tom and hatch a plot to steal Mary's inheritance.
—Sydni Ellis, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Sofia has taken Francis, and Sal Maroni is right on her heels with a bunch of his goons to give Oz a few whacks with one of his own stupid golf clubs, then down to the trolley station to take over the Bliss operation.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
Additionally, the husband and wife duo released a book titled Counting The Cost in September 2023, which detailed a dark reality of what went on behind the scenes of the show and the toxic culture in which Jill was raised.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
After rising to fame as a teenager in Take That, one of the most successful British boy bands of the ‘90s, Williams—widely considered to be the bad boy of the group—went on to forge a solo career that reached stratospheric heights.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, TIME, 10 Jan. 2025
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 18 Jan. 2025.
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