empty-headed

adjective

ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhe-dəd How to pronounce empty-headed (audio)
Definition of empty-headednext
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily got tired of being treated like an empty-headed lackey and quit to start a business

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of empty-headed As a result, his voice was confident, clear, and amplified by an empty-headed belief in his own good intentions. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 Gosling earned an Oscar nomination for his role as the empty-headed Ken, while Ferrell played the goofy CEO of Mattel. — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 July 2025 Andrew Cunningham Pokémon NPCs usually spout empty-headed pleasantries about the wonders of Pokémon; the NPCs in Palworld set a darker tone from the start. — Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2024 Fairly or not, NOFX and its Warped Tour compatriots are easily written off as empty-headed, obnoxious, adolescent bros. Fat Mike’s capitalist streak rubs many purists the wrong way. — Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty-headed
  1. dumb
  2. stupid
  3. slow
  4. simple
  5. thick
  6. foolish
Adjective
  • Some 17-year-olds are awkward, gangly teens who tend to do or say dumb things.
    — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
  • Vance appears to be performing a smart person’s idea of a dumb person.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • Parametric modeling, especially when weighted down with decades of AutoCAD’s stupid UI/UX choices, was even harder than programming.
    — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026
  • The simplest explanation is that Vance believes his voters are stupid.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • General Daily Insight for July 26, 2026 A slower pace could reveal what pressure has been hiding.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • With a boat launch, any size motors are invited, but must be operated at a slow no-wake speed, according to the park website.
    — Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • One solution would be a relatively simple expansion of the southern end of the Stadium of Light to mirror the height of the west and north.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Food safety experts say a few simple habits can make a difference.
    — Olivia LaBorde, AJC.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • For a natural, lash-enhancing effect, Briceno suggests pressing the pencil directly into the roots of your lashes rather than drawing a thick line above them.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • In the human body, thick bones absorb the most X-rays, and appear white on the resultant image.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • Doing it for a guy who was closer to average last year and got outplayed by his backup is probably downright foolish.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of foolish

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empty
empty-headed
emptying
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Cite this Entry

“Empty-headed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty-headed. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of empty-headed for Spanish Speakers

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