GOOFBALL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does goofball mean? 

• GOOFBALL (noun)
  The noun GOOFBALL has 2 senses:

1. a man who is a stupid incompetent fool

2. a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior

  Familiarity information: GOOFBALL used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GOOFBALL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A man who is a stupid incompetent fool

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

bozo; cuckoo; fathead; goof; goofball; goose; jackass; twat; zany

Hypernyms ("goofball" is a kind of...):

fool; muggins; sap; saphead; tomfool (a person who lacks good judgment)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

buffoon; clown; goof; goofball; merry andrew

Hypernyms ("goofball" is a kind of...):

comedian; comic (a professional performer who tells jokes and performs comical acts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goofball"):

harlequin (a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell'arte))

fool; jester; motley fool (a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages)

whiteface (a clown whose face is covered with white make-up)

zany (a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect)

Instance hyponyms:

Emmett Kelly; Kelly; Weary Willie (United States circus clown (1898-1979))