doofus

noun

doo·​fus ˈdü-fəs 

-fis

variants or less commonly dufus

plural doofuses also dufuses ˈdü-fə-siz 

slang

: a stupid, incompetent, or foolish person

Synonyms

• berk [British]
• booby
• charlie [British]
• charley
• cuckoo
• ding-a-ling
• ding-dong
• dingbat
• dipstick
• featherhead
• fool
• git [British]
• goose
• half-wit
• jackass
• lunatic
• mooncalf
• nincompoop
• ninny
• ninnyhammer
• nit [chiefly British]
• nitwit
• nut
• nutcase
• simp
• simpleton
• turkey
• yo-yo

Examples of doofus in a Sentence

Don't be such a doofus.

I don't want to be partnered on the project with that doofus.

Recent Examples on the Web

How can someone whose wealth and fame rest on innovative technologies—electric cars and rocket launches—be such a doofus? —Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024

His muscly doofus of an older brother, Thomas (Jack Lowden)? —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2024

Besides, there’s the telephone: It’s listed under Dickie’s address and easily findable, even by an apparent doofus like Freddie Miles. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024

Moten makes Maximus a wonderfully endearing doofus, and Arias brings a mournful cynicism to Norm, who seems to be the only resident of Vault 33 who was born without an inherent sense of purpose. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps alteration of goof entry 1

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above