as in absurd
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
she's always off on some screwball plan
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits
a screwball who liked to save lint and bits of string
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwball
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Where to watch: Disney+ 'Fly Me to the Moon'
There's screwball rom-com nostalgia at play in this throwback tale starring Scarlett Johansson as a marketing executive hired by NASA to sell the public on the 1969 mission to the moon.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2025
Since then, themes have included crime thrillers with La Jolla connections, screwball sparring matches and Hollywood classics.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwball
Adjective
The ensuing ten-minute battle of wits had a screwball energy that Preston Sturges would have appreciated.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Where to watch: Disney+ 'Fly Me to the Moon'
There's screwball rom-com nostalgia at play in this throwback tale starring Scarlett Johansson as a marketing executive hired by NASA to sell the public on the 1969 mission to the moon.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
Purple and fluoro-flecked Fair Isle clothed Anna Sui’s 1930s screwball comedy heroines.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2025
Since then, themes have included crime thrillers with La Jolla connections, screwball sparring matches and Hollywood classics.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwball
Adjective
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Larsen makes Didi’s absurd actions feel credible, something a woman frustrated with her own life would do, in haste, on behalf of another.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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Tim Dollar, a Kansas City attorney who represented the family of one of Biscari’s crash victims, said the union’s argument that Biscari was disciplined unfairly compared to other firefighters was absurd.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For Mimi Pond, the desire to do a book about the Mitford sisters – six larger-than-life British eccentrics (and one brother) who created a stir in both British and American culture – was obvious.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
5 Sep. 2025
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For decades, sovereign citizens largely flew under the radar in Australia as relatively harmless eccentrics with a special interest in conspiracy theories.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Mea Culpa is Perry at his most knowingly silly, and a throwback to erotic thrillers of decades past.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
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For every community of mass-shooter fandoms, there is another that is silly, joyous, productive, or totally harmless.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Iger has been a fearless, equal opportunity offender in defending Disney’s corporate character, whether from intrusions by the left or by the right.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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The character's scientific background becomes crucial to the investigation.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And when Sam cooks up a truly stupid scheme to make some quick cash, there’s little doubt a heavy like Mickey isn’t going to like it.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
12 Sep. 2025
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There's a fine line between stupid and clever, indeed.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Will these two oddballs, thrust together by a dental emergency on a night that commends peace on Earth and goodwill toward men, maintain a friendship?—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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Oliver, Steve Martin’s Charles, and Selena Gomez’s Mabel work the case while navigating the usual constellation of oddballs that orbit them.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pattern of blaming star players, whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Marcus Rashford, is looking foolish, and the side has plummeted in form.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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That’s penny wise, not pour foolish.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Rob Reiner — who directed, starred and co-wrote the original with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer — has once again directed the sequel, faithfully playing his role as filmmaker Marty DiBergi, complete with military baseball cap and a director’s viewfinder around his neck.—
Mark Kennedy,
Boston Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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The performance began with an arrangement fairly faithful to Isbell’s original, with Boone accompanied by just an acoustic guitar.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwball. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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