as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
a dingbat who was constantly firing off nonsensical letters to the editor
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Recent Examples of dingbat
At this moment, though, perception is everything, and Blue Owl was viewed as a suspect parvenue to the private-credit world and a total dingbat to emphasize private equity firms.
—
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
The varied styles include: Arts & Crafts, Streamline Moderne, Brutalist, Art Deco, Victorian, Googie, along with ranch style homes, elegant steel and glass residences, and dingbat apartment complexes, to name a few.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Again, how can someone be so essential, so rich and, at the same time, such a dingbat?
—Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
He was inspired to invent these elders by contemplating the oddly textured cinder blocks of a dingbat apartment on 6th Avenue in Venice.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
There are various residences currently on the project site including 10 bungalows, five dingbat apartments (the kind built over a two-car garage in sunnier states), and a single-family home across multiple lots, according to the Los Angeles Times.
—Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
The varied styles include: Arts & Crafts, Streamline Moderne, Brutalist, Art Deco, Victorian, Googie, along with ranch style homes, elegant steel and glass residences, and dingbat apartment complexes, to name a few.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Again, how can someone be so essential, so rich and, at the same time, such a dingbat?
—Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
He was inspired to invent these elders by contemplating the oddly textured cinder blocks of a dingbat apartment on 6th Avenue in Venice.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
There are various residences currently on the project site including 10 bungalows, five dingbat apartments (the kind built over a two-car garage in sunnier states), and a single-family home across multiple lots, according to the Los Angeles Times.
—Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dingbat
Noun
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The lunatics are running the asylum.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Michael Cera, Will Arnett and other lunatics round out the cast.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Don’t let the simple style fool you, though, because the ultra-soft foam insoles provide solid arch support.—
Caitlyn Fitzpatrick,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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Brute-forcing the one-time code for a single account—meaning iterating through every possible combination until the right one is entered—would be little more than a fool’s errand, even within the three-hour window that the codes remained valid.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Noun
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While there’s no denying that gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) is a charming plant with sweet white flowers that resemble a goose's neck, it's also widely recognized as a troublesome invasive.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
7 June 2026
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This typically gets worse over time and is often accompanied by a harsh goose-honking cough triggered by excitement or exercise.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
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Lluís then calls Puig Antich a moron.—
Colm Tóibín,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
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This drunk moron — quite different from his character in the novel — bears a ton of blame.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Scary Movie 1 star Jon Abrahams returns to menace Cindy, his ex, by grinning at her like a maniac in a psychiatric holding facility.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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Donald also had a reputation for being a maniac about taking care of his body and staying in shape.—
Armando Salguero,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dingbat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dingbat. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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