informal
: having or showing a forgetful, disorganized, or unfocused mind : having the characteristics of a scatterbrain
As Detective Gina Calabrese on Miami Vice, Saundra Santiago is all clearheaded efficiency. But off-camera her co-stars think she's scatterbrained. "They consider me a space cadet," says Santiago, who frequently loses keys, misses flights and gets into cabs without cash. Tim Allis

Examples of scatterbrained in a Sentence

a scatterbrained child who couldn't seem to pay attention or stop fooling around
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The novel begins on a Monday afternoon like any other at its three adolescent central characters’ loving but scatterbrained aunt Xía’s house in Miami. Juan Vidal, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 The company enlisted Donald Duck’s scatterbrained cartoon uncle, Prof. Ludwig Von Drake, in a video on votedisney.com to make its case that Disney’s current board members are up to the job. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scatterbrained was in 1747

Dictionary Entries Near scatterbrained

Cite this Entry

“Scatterbrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scatterbrained. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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