nitwit

noun

nit·​wit ˈnit-ˌwit How to pronounce nitwit (audio)
Synonyms of nitwitnext
: a scatterbrained or stupid person

Synonyms of nitwit

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Examples of nitwit in a Sentence

Don't be such a nitwit. don't be a nitwit—wear a seat belt!
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.
In each show, the two nitwits would set out on some caper, which would inevitably go horribly wrong, leaving them broke, or tied up, or in jail, or hanging over a cliff, or some other situation of great peril. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026 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 Occasionally, some nitwit will play chicken with the offending lane changer, get in front of him or her, and stop the car in the middle of the road to continue with verbal and nonverbal critique of the offender’s driving skills. — Oc Register, 18 May 2026 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

Word History

Etymology

probably from German dialect nit not + English wit

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nitwit was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

nitweed
nitwit
nitwitted
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Cite this Entry

“Nitwit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitwit. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nitwit

noun
nit·​wit ˈnit-ˌwit How to pronounce nitwit (audio)
: a stupid or silly person

More from Merriam-Webster on nitwit

Nglish: Translation of nitwit for Spanish Speakers

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