as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
the sheer boneheadedness shown by the state's politicians, who have ignored the problem for decades
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 boneheadedness
The pressure brought forth both boneheadedness and brilliance.
—
The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boneheadedness
Noun
-
Layer the gravel to a 3- to 4-inch thickness to keep sunlight from reaching the soil and germinating weed seeds, the same way mulch works.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
-
That is around half the thickness that most electrical motors use.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Julia's confession Fed up with local law enforcement's slowness and unresponsiveness, Christine and Katas eventually get FBI agent Dawn Martin on the case.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
-
By the time symptoms first appear, the majority of these cells are lost forever, meaning the disease can progress for years before any of the telltale physical symptoms emerge—tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement, among others.—
Todd Weissman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, arrowroot extract adds volume, aloe vera extract adds a bit of shine (to prevent chalkiness and dullness), and celery root extract soothes the scalp.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Their bestselling Regenerating Cleanser gently polishes away impurities and dullness to reveal a healthy-looking, radiant glow, clinically proven to make skin look brighter, smoother, more hydrated and pores look smaller.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This season Fears has shown both the maturity of the player who came back to discuss his actions with his head coach, and the foolishness of the hothead who responded with the hard foul.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
There was no foolishness tolerated from him and, of course, Magic, his lieutenant.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Understand how rye works in baking Though dark, dense rye bread is delicious, rye flour does not inherently create denseness in other baked goods.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lithium-ion batteries, which are used everywhere from wearables to grid-level storage facilities, have high energy densities, storing up to 300 watt-hours (Wh) per kilogram.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Other options, such as red light therapy caps, are non-invasive devices that use low-level light therapy to stimulate hair follicles and increase density.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boneheadedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boneheadedness. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
