as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a product with a warning label that even the most boneheaded consumer should be able to understand
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Recent Examples of boneheaded
As anyone who watches nineties-era romantic comedies knows, there’s a fine line between charming overtures and boneheaded actions that result in deep psychological wounds.
—
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 11 Feb. 2026
Defensively, he has been known for making exceptional plays but also making boneheaded mistakes.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Why sane people don’t run for office, a boneheaded move from an Arizona lawmaker and fallout from a Minnesota shooting.
—Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But despite the intelligence upgrade, some have spotted the AI model still making boneheaded mistakes.
—PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately for Leslie, Gary is terrible at poker, and his boneheaded bet during the relationship test leaves them in the bottom three.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 11 Feb. 2026
Defensively, he has been known for making exceptional plays but also making boneheaded mistakes.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Why sane people don’t run for office, a boneheaded move from an Arizona lawmaker and fallout from a Minnesota shooting.
—Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But despite the intelligence upgrade, some have spotted the AI model still making boneheaded mistakes.
—PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately for Leslie, Gary is terrible at poker, and his boneheaded bet during the relationship test leaves them in the bottom three.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boneheaded
Adjective
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Rock and pop are often unsophisticated, or downright dumb.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Urban infrastructure, after all, is still pretty dumb—forcing robotaxis to be designed around transit systems that are decades old.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Of course, sometimes the situation is more serious than stupid.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
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The American people are not stupid and will not accept more failure theater from Republicans in Congress.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Affecting the first two receptors means retatrutide may help suppress appetite and slow digestion, which can help users feel full after eating even smaller meals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Long train rides and other slow travel between places offer exactly the meditative in-between space your nervous system is craving.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Build buffer time, trim one commitment, then return to the itinerary with even gentler expectations and a simpler packing list.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
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Parents, guardians, aunts and uncles don't have time to read every book on the shelf while trying to pick something for the young reader in their life, so here are some simple ways to determine if a book is suitable for that child.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Dramatic footage shows flames and thick black smoke billowing from the area around the airport, while firefighters worked to contain the blaze.—
Moriah Thomas,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
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The crowd remains thick, spanning the width of the street.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hatosy’s Titus is the Danforths’ disappointing fail son and the actor keeps his face in a delightfully foolish little pout.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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Your fast response and decisive actions prevented this foolish criminal act from endangering the rest of the county.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boneheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boneheaded. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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