Synonyms of Neanderthal

Neanderthal 1 of 2

noun

nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl 

1

as in hulk

a big clumsy often slow-witted person

they looked like a tribe of Neanderthals compared to the bridegroom's patrician-looking family

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hulk
• lump
• loser
• moron
• idiot
• skunk
• stupid
• villain
• brute
• turkey
• mutt
• clown
• snake
• goose
• gawk
• oaf
• lout
• beast
• palooka
• creep
• lug
• clod
• heel
• lubber
• clodhopper
• fool
• dummy
• prat
• anthropoid
• blunderer
• stock
• ape
• chump
• donkey
• nut
• imbecile
• ignoramus
• rogue
• know-nothing
• lunkhead
• bonehead
• dullard
• blockhead
• schlemiel
• dolt
• dimwit
• dumbhead
• pinhead
• hardhead
• dumbbell
• golem
• slouch
• meathead
• cad
• knucklehead
• dunderhead
• dip
• numskull
• cretin
• hammerhead
• jackass
• dunce
• nincompoop
• boor
• louse
• birdbrain
• simpleton
• airhead
• galoot
• stupe
• chucklehead
• saphead
• bubblehead
• doofus
• dodo
• ninny
• yahoo
• nitwit
• madman
• loon
• dope
• loony
• booby
• ninnyhammer
• dummkopf
• gander
• noodle
• simp
• dork
• deadhead
• schnook
• nimrod
• chowderhead
• goon
• lamebrain
• loggerhead
• schlub
• stinker
• dim bulb
• goof
• clunk
• half-wit
• cur
• cluck
• fathead
• woodenhead
• scatterbrain
• ratbag
• rascal
• thickhead
• mome
• noddy
• cuddy
• nit
• tyke
• dum-dum
• mug
• churl
• clot
• clodpoll
• featherbrain
• scamp
• yo-yo

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brain
• intellectual
• genius
• thinker
• sage
• wizard
• whiz
• brainiac

2

as in barbarian

a man with crude manners and habits and outmoded attitudes

made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• animal
• caveman
• troglodyte
• brute
• primitive
• savage
• jerk
• heathen
• swine
• creep
• heel
• louse
• cad
• beast
• boor
• cur
• cretin
• lout
• churl

Neanderthal

2 of 2

adjective

variants or Neandertal

as in rude

not civilized

her boyfriend's Neanderthal tastes and manners were often embarrassing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• rude
• savage
• primitive
• wild
• barbaric
• uncivilized
• barbarous
• natural
• uncultivated
• uncivil
• heathenish
• heathen
• crude
• coarse
• rough
• uncouth
• uncultured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• civilized
• sophisticated
• cultured
• humane
• enlightened
• polite
• polished
• refined
• genteel
• urbane
• well-bred
• semicivilized

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Neanderthal

Noun

This didn’t become common practice until a few hundred years ago, but at least one Neanderthal apparently figured it out and convinced someone to go along with it. — ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026

And all of those size differences are too small to have any effect on cognitive ability, so Neanderthals could easily be on par with our species there, too. — ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026

One key piece of evidence comes from a 2008 study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, which analyzed DNA extracted from Neanderthal remains found at the El Sidrón site in Spain. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Archaeologists frequently find birch tar at Neanderthal archaeological sites, which comes from birch trees. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Mar. 2026