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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Example Sentences
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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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Paige is little more than a dumb blonde stereotype, another underwritten female character in Sheridan’s growing oeuvre, but Chapman laces her babyish whining with surprising bite, while showing a knack for physical comedy.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Mar. 2026
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How did an Ivy League grad from Penn get so dumb?—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Of all the live-action shows made by Adult Swim, Three Busy Debras is the most cartoonish; its world is as elastic and stupid as any Chuck Jones Looney Tunes joint.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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Anyone who says anything else is stupid or lying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This chaged profile results in improved satiety and a slower blood sugar spike.—
Jahnavi Rapaka,
Vogue,
21 Mar. 2026
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That alone would create a challenging year for water managers, who rely on slow and steady snowmelt to feed streams, rivers and reservoirs and meet spring and summer demand for irrigation and drinking water.—
Mira Rojanasakul,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The rooms Hotel Thaynes has 128 guest rooms, including six king suites, each designed for simple mountain stays with subtle pops of colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
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Such a vote — which is bound to fail but would put senators on the record — differs from using a simple majority to change the Senate rules, a vote a senator could force after an unsuccessful vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Often called the Butterfly Nebula or the Bug Nebula, this object displays a striking structure involving two bright gas lobes extending in opposite directions, separated by a thick, dusty ring—known as a torus—around the central star.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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Remove thick, dense piles of wet and matted leaves, or consider gently fluffing them up with a rake.—
Heather Zidack,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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The limited series feels equally foolish, down to its last line of narration.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boneheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boneheaded. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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