empty-headed

adjective

ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhe-dəd How to pronounce empty-headed (audio)
Definition of empty-headednext
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily got tired of being treated like an empty-headed lackey and quit to start a business

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 empty-headed As a result, his voice was confident, clear, and amplified by an empty-headed belief in his own good intentions. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 Gosling earned an Oscar nomination for his role as the empty-headed Ken, while Ferrell played the goofy CEO of Mattel. — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 July 2025 Andrew Cunningham Pokémon NPCs usually spout empty-headed pleasantries about the wonders of Pokémon; the NPCs in Palworld set a darker tone from the start. — Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2024 Fairly or not, NOFX and its Warped Tour compatriots are easily written off as empty-headed, obnoxious, adolescent bros. Fat Mike’s capitalist streak rubs many purists the wrong way. — Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty-headed
  1. dumb
  2. stupid
  3. slow
  4. simple
  5. foolish
  6. thick
Adjective
  • Then the reviews, of course, completely dismissed me as being like some old dumb blonde thing.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Basically all that's left for the dumb human to do when using the all-new Arrowmax Arrowspace S1 electric smart driver is dropping the bit in the tip and holding the driver steady – the S1 takes care of everything else.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • As stupid and trad as the wife-in-the-kitchen expectation is, that’s just a surface issue.
    — Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Billionaires presumably didn't become billionaires by being stupid, and only the supremely stupid could fail to see what's coming in California.
    — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Stuttering drum patterns and elastic basslines rub up against glossy keyboards and slow piano chords, blending early 2000s sounds with the futuristic sensuality of Kelela.
    — Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • On the earnings growth front, while emerging markets on average are expected to deliver a 45% improvement, India's forecast is much slower at 11%, as per Bernstein.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • According to Fulton County jail records, New has been arrested multiple times on suspicion of crimes including identity theft, insurance fraud, financial transaction card fraud, forgery and simple assault.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For this black jeans outfit idea, wear your go-to pair with a simple, breathable Oxford shirt that’s ideal for the office or dinner dates alike.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Serene predictions are a mug’s game, foolish in the extreme, whether they are based on polls or magical thinking.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The Kilplased, the foolish yet industrious folk, are making a film about themselves!
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • Aside from an occasional shuffle or snuffle from my fellow campers, the night was draped in a thick blanket of stress-shrinking quiet.
    — Heather Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The jet slammed nose-first like a missile into a busy Palm Beach County road, before erupting into flames and sending thick black smoke into the sky, dashcam video shows.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of thick

Browse Nearby Words

empty
empty-headed
emptying
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Cite this Entry

“Empty-headed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty-headed. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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