CRACKPOT Synonyms: 177 Similar and Opposite Words

crackpot 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of crackpot

as in foolish

showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment a crackpot scheme to get rich quick

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crackpot

2 of 2

noun

ˈkrak-ˌpät

as in eccentric

a person of odd or whimsical habits everyone is tolerant of the town crackpot, a man who never hurt anyone

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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 crackpot

Adjective

There's opinion journalism, and then there are crackpot theories that get in the way of legitimacy. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2026 And this bawdy crowd-pleaser at least has the courage of its crackpot convictions. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

Noun

The crackpots are the mainstream. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025 Rather than offer compassion or understanding, the mayor chose to repost a conspiratorial crackpot and a cruel, inaccurate meme. — Dean Kertesz, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crackpot

Recent Examples of Synonyms for crackpot

Adjective

Soaking the suburbs over parking is reminiscent of other foolish, revenue-grabbing ideas, such as a congestion tax aimed at outsiders as a way to gin up money to cover Chicago’s ever-present budget black hole.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
With Oracle having lost more than $20 billion in stock-market value today, this appears to be penny-wise and pound foolish.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of foolish

Noun

The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.

— Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.

— Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of eccentric

Adjective

Trump’s super intelligence rebrand can ultimately be read in a couple ways, though arguably neither are particularly nuanced or incisive — just further indicative of the daily deluge of stupid.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Once upon a time, the idea that the world was growing stupider was mostly confined to the realm of dyspeptic reactionary polemic.

— James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of stupid

Noun

Given how Wade is defined by his love of hallucinogenic mushrooms and off-roading in an ATV, the character is designed to be played big, and Heaton appears to be enjoying himself.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Fumero’s character, Teri, is a detective inspector for the New Jersey State Police.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

With so many of its procedural plots echoing and sometimes directly referencing real-world events, Cupertino is more substantive and less inherently silly than Elsbeth.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Almost sounds silly now, with the way the team has stumbled and bumbled its way through the first four games.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of silly

Noun

People who see ghosts tend to see the same ghost wafting down the same staircase, but none of the characters populating Leo’s wacko hallucinations have returned for a repeat perfor-mance.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
This wacko crew was one of the greatest things in the history of television.

— Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Definition of wacko

Noun

Halaena can tell that something’s up with mummy, but that kook’s never been too concerned with matters of court.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 June 2026
After Kent’s resignation, Republican hawks denounced him as a kook and a traitor to the cause, without touching on the delicate question of why Trump appointed such a disreputable figure in the first place.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026

Definition of kook

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Style

“Crackpot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackpot. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of crackpot

adjective

noun

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