1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
don't be a nitwit—wear a seat belt!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiot
a stupid person
an absolute nitwit as far as geography is concerned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fool
a silly flighty person
a nitwit who never should have been given a position of responsibility in the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nitwit
That’s the pumping-iron term for somebody who’s kind of a nitwit.
—
Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
The plot involves risqué photos of someone in the royal family being used as collateral, and poor Terry and his nitwit crew were tricked into trying to steal these from the bank instead of money.
—Mike Ryan, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
At one point, in the role of a former C.I.A. agent, Walter Lloyd, Hackman stubs a gun under the nose of a hapless nitwit from the agency who has been sent to protect Walter and his family.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Stan Brooks: That’s the pumping-iron term for somebody who’s kind of a nitwit.
—Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
The white supremacist rally that interrupted the mayor's lunch in Howell on Saturday wasn't overly impressive, really — just a dozen or so nitwits, and one ghost.
—Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 25 July 2024
The nitwits were chased off by a woman from the local library board.
—Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 25 July 2024
This childish nitwit called the judge deciding his case a Nazi, which earned him an extra five months in the J6 choir.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 June 2024
Or is the old guy in the golf cart supposed to be a square, privileged nitwit parroting MAGA nonsense?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 May 2024
Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
The plot involves risqué photos of someone in the royal family being used as collateral, and poor Terry and his nitwit crew were tricked into trying to steal these from the bank instead of money.
—Mike Ryan, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
At one point, in the role of a former C.I.A. agent, Walter Lloyd, Hackman stubs a gun under the nose of a hapless nitwit from the agency who has been sent to protect Walter and his family.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Stan Brooks: That’s the pumping-iron term for somebody who’s kind of a nitwit.
—Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
The white supremacist rally that interrupted the mayor's lunch in Howell on Saturday wasn't overly impressive, really — just a dozen or so nitwits, and one ghost.
—Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 25 July 2024
The nitwits were chased off by a woman from the local library board.
—Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 25 July 2024
This childish nitwit called the judge deciding his case a Nazi, which earned him an extra five months in the J6 choir.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 June 2024
Or is the old guy in the golf cart supposed to be a square, privileged nitwit parroting MAGA nonsense?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitwit
Noun
-
William Higgins New Smyrna Beach The president of the United States has allowed an ex-KGB agent to show the world what a fool the United States has for a president.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Everything ever published has the fingerprints of many many people—don’t fool yourself into thinking anything comes into this world fully formed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Rather than stay pigeonholed as a ditz, Simpson (who just released new music for the first time in 15 years) went on to launch her own fashion brand, which hit $1 billion in sales in 2015 and is still going strong today.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Besides offering a cash prize of up to $250,000, the show can help change perception of a villain or a ditz and be a springboard for their next casting.—
Shivani Gonzalez,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
So, the parallel thing that I’ve been frustrated by recently is not just calling Trump stupid, but calling Trump voters stupid.—
Drew Broussard
May 22,
Literary Hub,
22 May 2025
-
Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
It was shot in portrait because it was shot in Instagram by and for a woman who was losing her mind in quarantine and had fully let the sillies take the wheel.—
Ego Nwodim,
TIME,
12 Feb. 2025
-
Some more sillies from last night’s GRAMMY nominees reception.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The short’s synopsis reads: After the death of her husband, Janet decides to distract herself by rearing a goose, which is to be the centrepiece of her Christmas dinner.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
-
One industry executive speaking on background said the project effectively sent the country’s banking industry on a wild goose chase.—
Aaron Stanley,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But not as a cartoon metal maniac chomping on bat flesh.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
23 July 2025
-
Imagine if zombies were just humans who their intellect, but are also homicidal maniacs.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Winnie, on the other hand, is a flibbertigibbet of stream-of-consciousness.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
22 June 2025
-
Duvall is a big reason why: All the film’s insights into the slipperiness of identity are there in her casually virtuosic, veritable dual performance, in which a funny flibbertigibbet loses hold of herself as the world around seems to splinter into something frighteningly new.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
19 July 2024
Noun
-
The Real Housewives’ theme — no matter the franchise — gives us a wink of cuckoo calm before the storm.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 July 2025
-
Not everyone is feeling so cuckoo about cocoa these days.—
Shannon Carroll,
Quartz,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitwit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitwit. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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