boneheaded

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of boneheaded My most most boneheaded comment. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 And there was always something frustrating, always kind of a boneheaded play or a draft pick or something that just kept us from [winning]. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026 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 Defensively, he has been known for making exceptional plays but also making boneheaded mistakes. — Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 But despite the intelligence upgrade, some have spotted the AI model still making boneheaded mistakes. — PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025 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 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 Vile’s shaggy-dog spirituality reaches new heights of beautiful, boneheaded simplicity on his latest. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boneheaded
  1. dumb
  2. stupid
  3. slow
  4. simple
  5. thick
  6. foolish
Adjective
  • The State’s humor is an interesting mixture of extremely dumb and self-aware.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 July 2026
  • Mayhem comes to a coastal New England town in the form of a killer shark who hunts anybody dumb enough to get in the water.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • And no, that was NOT OutKick or FOX who wrote that stupid headline.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • The thing about House of the Dragon is that everything really is quite stupid.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • There was no repeat of the slow start that cost him a spot last season.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • The house old-fashioned can be made with bourbon or gin and is a much slower sip.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
    — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • The combination makes strands thicker, fuller, stronger, frizz-free, and softer—and thus, longer with less shedding and breakage.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • The brown, round cookie has arms and legs, one eyebrow thicker than the other, and one buck tooth.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • Comparing Young’s new deal to any extension for Davis would be a foolish exercise.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • Further, Plato’s disdain for Gorgias, Antisthenes’ first teacher, and sophistry in general is clear; in the Platonic dialogue Gorgias, the titular character is made out to be rather foolish.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of foolish

Browse Nearby Words

bonehead
boneheaded
boneheadedness
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Cite this Entry

“Boneheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boneheaded. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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