boneheaded

adjective

as in stupid
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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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 The three men close in on me, each making his boneheaded argument. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 The Soviet Union was struggling with the costs of boneheaded decisions such as the invasion of Afghanistan and the deployment of new and extremely threatening Soviet nuclear weapons in Europe. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026 Even inspirational leaders make boneheaded calls, as with firing an innovative defense minister. — Max Boot, Washington Post, 20 July 2026 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 Vile’s shaggy-dog spirituality reaches new heights of beautiful, boneheaded simplicity on his latest. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boneheaded
  1. stupid
  2. dumb
  3. slow
  4. simple
Adjective
  • But also, the audience is not used to people delivering blunt questions — no matter how stupid the answer.
    — Jade Tran, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Pierce and Kember were born in the same place on the same day, a lore-enhancing coincidence too stupid to make up.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • And that's exactly where Glenn was for the second time this season — guilty of the dumbest moment of the week.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There’s a dumb ending, involving the Bewitched theme and Dennis Rodman discussing the perils of adult illiteracy (sure), but everything before that is pretty fun, including the Bumblebee Man turning into a bumblebee and Lisa into Albert Einstein.
    — Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • The song develops into a slow-burn, lighters-up jam, its long, unhurried coda like getting lost in a sea of echoing, overlapping memories.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Protein and fiber slow digestion, supporting satiety and healthy blood sugar regulation.
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The actor wore a long black leather coat over a simple black tank, paired with straight-leg blue jeans cinched with a leather belt.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The company played with flexible workdays instead of rigid schedules, clearer windows for collaboration, simpler rules for meetings, better ways to share and document work, and more intentional reasons for coming together in person.
    — Deborah Lovich, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple

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 27 Oct. 2026.

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