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 BassoExamples 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
Simon Shuster/berlin, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
She and the hotel company’s goons give him 20 minutes to pack.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2025
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025
Funerals or other events that can’t be postponed, such as baptisms or weddings, that had been scheduled may still go on.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goon
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Noun
Worldly and style-conscious, with a doctorate in economics and a résumé that includes a stint at Goldman Sachs, Weidel, 45, looks nothing like the gruff, tattooed stereotype of the right-wing goon.
—Simon Shuster/berlin, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
She and the hotel company’s goons give him 20 minutes to pack.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
Today, the nonprofit Outer Banks Conservationists has taken over care of the landmark, making sure its light still goes on nightly.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025
Funerals or other events that can’t be postponed, such as baptisms or weddings, that had been scheduled may still go on.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goon
Cite this Entry
“Goon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goon. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
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