Vocabulary lesson: gooning

 

Photo by Retiring Guy

Headline:  The Denver Post, 8/18/2026

Lauren Penington and Katie Langford report:

Dollar Tree’s chronic understaffing and lack of security measures have made stores nationwide a “hunting ground” for sexual assaults involving what’s known as “gooning,” the act of public masturbation, a new Colorado lawsuit alleges. 

The lawsuit, filed last week in El Paso County, alleges a woman shopping with her child and mother was victimized in March 2025, when a man followed the family around a Dollar Tree in Colorado Springs and ejaculated on her.

According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of "gooning" occurred in 2005. 

Other coinages from the same year include:

1. butt-dial
2. mumblecore
3. pre-exposure prophylaxis
4. sexting
5. side piece

Other vocabulary posts:

2026
Dap.  (8/2)

Dumpster fire.  (8/1)

Eighty-six.  (6/12)

Overshare.  (6/11)

Manosphere.  (4/2)

Oomph.  (4/2)

Retarded.  (3/31)

Noob.  (3/31)

Shoegaze.  (2/5)

Gonzo.  (1/22)

2025

Hypergamy.  (7/31)

Situationship.  (7/30)

Lollygag.  (5/22)

Bummer.  (5/20)

TV dinner.  (2/3)

March-December 2024

Deepfake.  (9/1)

Life coach.  (6/30)

Face-plant.  (6/8)

Veggie.  (4/26)  

Dox/doxxing  (4/11)

Edgelord.  (3/23)

Dad joke. 3/4)

February 2024

Edutainment.  (2/16)

Cut, as an adjective.  (2/13).  .

Flunky.  (2/5)

Janky.  (2/2)

Kiddo.  (2/2)

January 2024

Bonkers.  (1/31)

Heebie-jeebies.  (1/31)

Nudification.  (1/31)

Right-size.  (1/14)

2022

Dumpster fire.  (10/20/2022)

2018

Swinge.  (12/18/2018)

2017

Michael Flynn vocabulary lesson.  (2/14/2017)

2013

Yaw.  (2/28/2013)