as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a knuckleheaded attempt to increase efficiency that only succeeded in making things worse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knuckleheaded
Adjective
-
As Legally Blonde's Elle Woods, Witherspoon charted a memorable path from dumb blonde to Harvard Law School graduate.—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
-
Celebrities fight it out to be eliminated from the competition as quickly as possible to avoid being crowned the nation’s dumbest.—
Adjective
-
In tribute to Michael Keane’s hair-pulling on Wednesday, Cerys Jones picked through the stupidest dismissals in Premier League history.—
-
To do a lot less foolish, thoughtless, stupid, idiotic things.—
Adjective
-
Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
-
When visiting the exhibit, plan on taking your time to make the most of it, or what the American Federation of Arts calls slow looking.—
Adjective
-
This simple taupe geometric style peel-and-stick wallpaper is affordable, easy to apply, and looks gorgeous without being too bold or loud.—
-
The simple addition of zipper detailing adds a preppy energy to the top.—
Adjective
-
They’re made of a buttery soft, thick material that will keep you warm and cozy at home all winter.—
-
Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops.—
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.
Cite this Entry
“Knuckleheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knuckleheaded. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share