1
as in resting
to refrain from labor or exertion
I plan to spend the day kicking back and watching television
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hanging (around or out)
to spend time doing nothing
a good resort for people who want to kick back and watch others exercise strenuously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicking back
Spend your mornings kicking back on Biloxi Beach or Long Beach, perhaps flying a kite and enjoying a picnic lunch.
—
Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Sometimes there’s no better way to spend a spring day than kicking back on your porch—or deck, or patio, or stoop—and simply taking it all in, perhaps even with a refreshing beverage in hand.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
Year-round warm weather, hitting the links, and kicking back with the grandkids has long been the quintessential American retirement dream.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
This has a similar curved design, and the chenille-like fabric lends this a coziness for kicking back and curling up.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The real issue is the compressor cycling off and then kicking back on, which can be abrupt enough to wake you.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead, the board opts for the happy-go-lucky concert attendee kicking back a beer or two as its foil to scary THC use.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s nothing wrong with spending your vacation at the beach, on a shopping spree in Paris or New York, or kicking back at a fishing cabin.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
And while a little luxury is always welcome, at its heart, Belize’s appeal lies in slowing down, kicking back, and enjoying simple pleasures, cocooned in nature.
—Gemma Price, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Sometimes there’s no better way to spend a spring day than kicking back on your porch—or deck, or patio, or stoop—and simply taking it all in, perhaps even with a refreshing beverage in hand.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
Year-round warm weather, hitting the links, and kicking back with the grandkids has long been the quintessential American retirement dream.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
This has a similar curved design, and the chenille-like fabric lends this a coziness for kicking back and curling up.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The real issue is the compressor cycling off and then kicking back on, which can be abrupt enough to wake you.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead, the board opts for the happy-go-lucky concert attendee kicking back a beer or two as its foil to scary THC use.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s nothing wrong with spending your vacation at the beach, on a shopping spree in Paris or New York, or kicking back at a fishing cabin.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
And while a little luxury is always welcome, at its heart, Belize’s appeal lies in slowing down, kicking back, and enjoying simple pleasures, cocooned in nature.
—Gemma Price, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking back
Verb
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Pep Guardiola heavily rotated his side for Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final with Championship side Southampton on Saturday evening, bringing fresh faces into the starting XI and resting some of his key players for the final stretch of the league season.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The 3-by-5 strength training protocol involves choosing 3–5 exercises, doing 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, and resting for 3–5 minutes in between.—
Jenessa Connor,
Health,
1 May 2026
Verb
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And with its options for kayaking, standup paddleboarding, sailing, and waterskiing—plus a boardwalk for strolling and sandy beaches for relaxing—Mission Bay Park is a great spot for active families.—
Kara Williams,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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Meander the historic district, then break out your boats or find a picnic bench along the shore to take in a few relaxing hours in LaGrange.—
Carolanne Griffith Roberts,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wildlife here is so prolific that guests aren’t permitted to walk about; rather they’re ferried about by safari vehicle, passing honking hippos, giant basking Nile crocodiles and huge numbers of butterflies and birds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Some of the kinder ones would give a Christmas tip if the apprentices did a good job cleaning their boots but others, basking in the new money of the Premier League, preferred to peacock.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.—
Elliott Harrell,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Odenkirk and Kolstad have begun kicking around ideas for extending the character into an ongoing franchise.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Although the likes of the Go Go’s and the Cars are present at times, the soundtrack as a whole seems too staid to provide a backdrop for ’80s kids kicking around in the heyday of punk.—
Gina Friedlande,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The animal, which arrived at the pier about a month ago, has sparked enthusiasm on social media, with Reddit users sharing photos and videos of Chonkers lounging and sunbathing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Droves of sea lions began lounging at the dock shortly in 1989 shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Last week, the prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments after Horner lured her inside the FedEx van.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
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With war chests reportedly reaching hundreds of millions, critics—including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—warn that AI industry influence is chilling debate and discouraging regulation ahead of midterms.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Twin sisters Jordan and Jaedyn Gomez, playing for Boone, lost their second round individual bracket doubles match 6-0, 6-0 against Doral Academy’s top seeded duo of Payton Seidle-Lubowitz and Stefany Zamora.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicking back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20back. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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