as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
a dingbat who was constantly firing off nonsensical letters to the editor
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Recent Examples of dingbat
The varied styles include: Arts & Crafts, Streamline Moderne, Brutalist, Art Deco, Victorian, Googie, along with ranch style homes, elegant steel and glass residences, and dingbat apartment complexes, to name a few.
—
R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Again, how can someone be so essential, so rich and, at the same time, such a dingbat?
—Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
He was inspired to invent these elders by contemplating the oddly textured cinder blocks of a dingbat apartment on 6th Avenue in Venice.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
There are various residences currently on the project site including 10 bungalows, five dingbat apartments (the kind built over a two-car garage in sunnier states), and a single-family home across multiple lots, according to the Los Angeles Times.
—Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Again, how can someone be so essential, so rich and, at the same time, such a dingbat?
—Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
He was inspired to invent these elders by contemplating the oddly textured cinder blocks of a dingbat apartment on 6th Avenue in Venice.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
There are various residences currently on the project site including 10 bungalows, five dingbat apartments (the kind built over a two-car garage in sunnier states), and a single-family home across multiple lots, according to the Los Angeles Times.
—Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dingbat
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.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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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.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Don’t let the cream’s $8 price tag fool you; the anti-aging find tackles fine lines, wrinkles, and clogged pores, all while being gentle enough for all skin types.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t let the small exterior fool you.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Its organic cotton-blend cover is gentle on skin, while the goose feather fill delivers plush, breathable warmth.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Nurture the geese who lay the golden eggs One of Aesop’s most famous fables is the tale of the goose that laid a golden egg every day until its owner killed it in an attempt to get all the gold at once.—
Sally Percy,
Forbes.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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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.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
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However, unexpected and decidedly unwelcome guests keep turning up, including Beau’s brother, and a man who might be a homicidal maniac.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
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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.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dingbat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dingbat. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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