cuckoo 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cuckoonext
as in mad
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment offered a completely cuckoo suggestion for using the defunct strip mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cuckoo

2 of 2

noun

ˈkü-(ˌ)kü How to pronounce cuckoo (audio)
1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment one cuckoo at the campground tried to boil soup in a plastic cup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in goose
a silly flighty person didn't want to be among those cuckoos who race around the mall the day before Christmas

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 cuckoo
Adjective
In the Disney film, Geppetto is a maker of toys and cuckoo clocks living in a vaguely European half-timber house. — Perri Klass, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2022 In the midst of such cuckoo-ness, my son, Isaac, and daughter-in-law, Lennon, had the courage to bring a child into this world. — New York Times, 15 Mar. 2022
Noun
Under the current Gateway plan, those repairs don’t happen until 2040, which is cuckoo, especially if imminent failure is feared. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026 Canada geese are protected, as well as most other geese, swans, ducks, cranes, cuckoos, hummingbirds, doves and flamingos. — Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cuckoo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cuckoo
  1. mad
  2. lunatic
  3. goose
  4. foolish
  5. fool
  6. silly
  7. stupid
  8. maniac
Adjective
  • Getting mad about missing out on signing Anfernee Simons won’t change that.
    — Nick Friedell, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • When World Cup season descends upon soccer-mad Brazil, green and yellow banners decorate restaurants, bars and apartment buildings, streets are painted with flags and soccer balls, and discussions of the beloved national team's games are ubiquitous.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of mad
Noun
  • As a Spurs fan, I was particularly invested in Campbell in an England shirt and recall charging around the living room like a lunatic before the reality that it had been chalked off hit home.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
  • The lunatics are running the asylum.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • The scribe carefully inscribed each line with a quill made from a goose feather, while their other hand wielded an erasing knife used to sharpen the quill and scrape away any mistakes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • The list goes on, though; roast goose and crispy fried pigeon star on the menu at The Legacy House, and stylish couples swish into DarkSide for live jazz even on most evenings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
Definition of goose
Adjective
  • Comparing Young’s new deal to any extension for Davis would be a foolish exercise.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • Further, Plato’s disdain for Gorgias, Antisthenes’ first teacher, and sophistry in general is clear; in the Platonic dialogue Gorgias, the titular character is made out to be rather foolish.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of foolish
Noun
  • Being a gent or a supplicant wasn’t the same as being a fool, though.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • Don’t let the simple style fool you, though, because the ultra-soft foam insoles provide solid arch support.
    — Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of fool
Noun
  • But no, sillies: Bradley is white, famous and pretty — no jail time for her!
    — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Sep. 2025
  • It was shot in portrait because it was shot in Instagram by and for a woman who was losing her mind in quarantine and had fully let the sillies take the wheel.
    — Ego Nwodim, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • Even when Romanzy goes off on how stupid and ugly Caleb is — and gossips that his parents abandoned him because something must be wrong with him — Mary goes along with it.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
  • Shockingly, the letter seems to be pushing for a return to standardized tests by, in effect, arguing that a growing percentage of their students are simply too stupid to succeed, no matter what professors do.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of stupid
Noun
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • The Martin Lawrence vehicle Martin, which ran for five glorious seasons, offered a terrific platform for Lawrence to run around like a maniac as an energetic radio DJ.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Definition of maniac

Browse Nearby Words

cubs
cuckoo
cuckoo clock
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“Cuckoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cuckoo. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cuckoo

Nglish: Translation of cuckoo for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cuckoo

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