as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
dotty relatives that we have to endure only on Thanksgiving
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Recent Examples of dotty
Things got even dottier from there: Another eight names were added to a growing list of scientists who have recently either died or gone missing.
—
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
People wanted to wear clothes at the cutting edge, which gave dotty fabrics woven by machine a natural fanbase among the society ladies who could afford them.
—Natalie Hammond, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Jones, Redgrave, and an unrecognizable Margot Kidder as their dotty landlady bravely expose their vulnerability.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 June 2025
This set by Studio Bloom takes two breakout shades of the year — butter yellow and mocha mousse — and elevates them for the season ahead with a dotty design.
—Mica Ricketts, Refinery29, 9 May 2025
Now, one of the largest celebrations of Kusama’s dotty world will debut at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024
Joanne and Morgan’s dotty mother, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy), dabbles in the metaphysical to constant mockery; their gay father, Henry (Michael Hitchcock), is rarely able to enjoy his own happiness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2024
Smith starred as Joyce Chilvers, a small-town social climber in postwar Northern England whose hunger to be accepted by the elite locals isn’t helped by her dotty mother nor her underachieving podiatrist husband Gilbert, played by Michael Palin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
People wanted to wear clothes at the cutting edge, which gave dotty fabrics woven by machine a natural fanbase among the society ladies who could afford them.
—Natalie Hammond, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Jones, Redgrave, and an unrecognizable Margot Kidder as their dotty landlady bravely expose their vulnerability.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 June 2025
This set by Studio Bloom takes two breakout shades of the year — butter yellow and mocha mousse — and elevates them for the season ahead with a dotty design.
—Mica Ricketts, Refinery29, 9 May 2025
Now, one of the largest celebrations of Kusama’s dotty world will debut at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024
Joanne and Morgan’s dotty mother, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy), dabbles in the metaphysical to constant mockery; their gay father, Henry (Michael Hitchcock), is rarely able to enjoy his own happiness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2024
Smith starred as Joyce Chilvers, a small-town social climber in postwar Northern England whose hunger to be accepted by the elite locals isn’t helped by her dotty mother nor her underachieving podiatrist husband Gilbert, played by Michael Palin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dotty
Adjective
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The fantasy comedy twisted the types of fairy tales that Disney was known for with cruder and sillier humor and centered a grumpy ogre journeying to save a princess.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
So, yes, this movie about the silly baby Yoda creature has a lot riding on it.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Most big comedy shows at the fest had a strict no cellphones policy, Seinfeld was content with just reminding us that our friends are all sick of our stupid cellphone videos.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Don’t eat stupid food, don’t do music in the background.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Let’s face it, life is full of foolish decisions.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
Trump previously said his administration would have been foolish not to accept it.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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These mad scientists then trained a small flock of sheep to recognize four celebrities—Emma Watson, Barack Obama, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce—from their pictures on the internet.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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While Sharpe’s casting was inevitably, and depressingly, dismissed as another sign of wokeism gone mad, the half-Japanese/half-British actor ultimately brings something new to the table.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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In any other historical period, proposing such a career trajectory would’ve seemed mildly insane — like if Peter Buck had followed up Fables of the Reconstruction by producing Whitney Houston instead of the Feelies.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
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For so much of the season, Rachel is low-key stoned, which can keep her at a remove, even when things are getting really insane.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Unfortunately, in life, there are few greater certainties than eventual statistical regression to the mean; the Broncos are primed for it, after winning an absurd amount of one-score games.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
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The Daily Show making fun of two absurd AI start-ups designed by losers to cater to a loser clientele.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play a pair of ordinary police officers who get sucked into a crazy case involving multiple murders in their small English town.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
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That’s despite reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not putting up his typical crazy numbers.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Covering politics today is a grim dance between the vicious and the idiotic, between repulsion and despair.—
Megan McArdle,
Washington Post,
10 May 2026
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Think of the costs of an idiotic war that could have covered universal childcare and college tuitions.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotty. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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