1
as in goose
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a turkey would think it's a good idea to go for a jog when the weather drops below zero
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiot
a stupid person
you turkey, that wasn't my boyfriend—it was my brother!
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disaster
something that has failed
his business venture ended up being a turkey, and he lost quite a bit of money on it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turkey
More than 400 families with critically ill children were provided fresh produce, dry goods, turkeys and home essentials.
—
Sharon Hlapcich, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Both chicken and turkey breast are healthy choices, with turkey coming just slightly ahead in terms of micronutrients.
—Rachael Zimlich, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2026
Taking the Best for Yourself A public relations director in the outdoor industry who prefers to remain anonymous remembers her first turkey hunt.
—Barbara Baird, Outdoor Life, 7 Jan. 2026
Pearson said residents should avoid retreating when they’re approached by an aggressive turkey.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turkey
Noun
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Foie gras — or fattened liver of a duck or goose — is a delicacy in French cooking that is occasionally featured on higher-end restaurants’ menus.—
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End-of-season closeout deals are up to 81% off, including comforters filled with goose feathers, gel fibers, silk, and more.—
Noun
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More than a year after the disaster, which killed all but two people on board, much is still unclear about why the passenger jet crash landed.—
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The councilwoman emphasized that every neighborhood in Los Angeles is just one disaster from devastation.—
Noun
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Do not let Fernando Mendoza’s earnestness fool you.—
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But telling Porsha something in confidence is a fool’s errand.—
Noun
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Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.—
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There are worse things than watching Black, Rudd, and Zahn play three gormless morons on a mid-life misadventure, but almost every scene and setpiece is constructed with a haphazardness that blunders away their charm.—
Noun
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Patients’ failure to take their medicine as prescribed is a major challenge that contributes to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and billions of dollars in health care costs annually.—
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Continue reading … SKIDDING TO SAFETY – All plane tires burst on Boeing 767 during harrowing landing failure.—
Noun
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The lunatics who attacked the seat of government to try to change the outcome of a free and fair election are not patriots.—
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Now, after Miami’s 34-10 win Sunday at the New York Jets, you are officially allowed to wonder aloud about wild-card playoff chances and be seen only as way optimistic rather than as a raving lunatic.—
Noun
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So, the parallel thing that I’ve been frustrated by recently is not just calling Trump stupid, but calling Trump voters stupid.—
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Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Noun
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Not the fear of an actor out of her element, or the more mundane fear of a victim being chased around by an ax-wielding maniac.—
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That was the only understated thing this certified maniac said or did all night long.—
Cite this Entry
“Turkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turkey. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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